Crows 259 
excited in me a greater interest than the observation 
of their attempts to rob a hen of her chicks. The 
crow, alighting a little distance from the hen, would 
advance in an apparently careless way toward the 
brood, when the vigilant parent would bristle up her 
feathers and rush at the black rogue to drive him 
off. After several such approaches, the hen would 
become very angry and would chase the crow to a 
greater distance from the brood. This is the very 
object the robber has in view, for as long as the parent 
keeps near her young the crow has very slight chance 
of success; but as soon as he can induce her to follow 
him to a little distance from the brood, he takes ad- 
vantage of his wings, and before she can regain her 
place, has flown over her and seized one of her 
chickens. When the crow tries to carry off a gosling 
from the mother, it requires more daring and skill, 
and is far less frequently successful than in the former 
instance. If the gander be in company, which he 
almost uniformly is, the crow has his labor in vain. 
Notwithstanding the advantage of flight and superior 
cunning, the honest vigilance and determined bravery 
of the former are too much for him.” 
This might have happened seventy years ago, but 
the habits of crows have changed, although they have 
not lost their cunning. There is scarcely a more 
