STOKIES ABOUT BIRDS. 205 



few of them will sit with drooping heads, while 

 others look very grave, as if they were judges, 

 and others still are very bustling and noisy. 

 In about an hour, the meeting breaks up, after 

 which one or two of the crows are generally 

 found dead. It is supposed by those who have 

 been witnesses of one of these assemblies, that 

 at such times there is a sort of trial of some of 

 their number who have behaved badly, and 

 that those who are found dead have been con- 

 victed and punished. 



A crow, that was tamed, formed a very 

 close intimacy with the dog belonging to the 

 family in which he lived, and became much 

 attached to him. This dog had the misfortune 

 to break his leg, and became quite helpless. 

 During his confinement, which lasted a long 

 time, this crow constantly attended him, and 

 brought him food when he was hungry. One 

 night, by accident, the hostler shut the door of 

 the apartment where the dog was confined, so 

 that the bird could not get in to see his favor- 

 ite ; and in the morning, it was found that the 

 affectionate bird had pecked the bottom of the 

 door, until he had made a hole almost large 

 enough to allow him to get through. 



Nelson says that the most noted crow-roost 

 that he ever saw in his life, is an island in the 



