206 STOEIES ABOUT BIRDS. 



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Delaware. " This island," to use the words of 

 this eminent naturalist, "sometimes goes bj 

 the name of the Pea Patch. It is only a little 

 raised above the surrounding water, and is cov- 

 ered with a thick growth of reeds. The entire 

 island is destitute of trees, and the crows alight 

 and nestle among the reeds. The noise made 

 by these birds, in their morning and evening 

 assemblies, is almost incredible. Whole fields 

 of corn are sometimes laid waste by thousands 

 alighting on it at once, with appetites whetted 

 by the fast of the preceding night. The utmost 

 watchfulness is necessary on the part of the 

 farmer, to prevent his fields from being plun- 

 dered. The character of the crow is here in 

 y^TY bad repute. To say to the man who has 

 lost his whole crop of corn by these birds, that 

 crows are exceedingly useful for destroying 

 vermin, would be just about as consoling as 

 it would be to tell him that fires are excellent 

 for destroying bugs, when he has just had his 

 house burned down by the flames. Some 

 years ago, a sudden northeast storm came on 

 during the night, and the tide rising to an 

 uncommon height, covered the whole island. 

 The darkness of the night, the violence of the 

 storm, and the suddenness with which it came 

 on, it is supposed, so frightened the crows that 



