STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 207 



thej did not attempt to escape. At any rate, 

 nearly the whole of them perished. Thousands 

 of them were seen the next day floating in the 

 river ; and the wind shifting to the northwest, 

 drove their dead bodies to the Kew Jersey 

 side, where, for miles, they blackened the 

 whole shore. However, it was not long after 

 that before the island contained as large a 

 population of crows as ever." This race of 

 birds, the writer thinks, must have a great 

 affection for the Pea Patch. 



A crow once attempted to carry off a young 

 chicken or two, and got himself into trouble 

 by the means. The chickens clustered around 

 the parent hen, and she defended them with 

 a good deal of heroism. At last she drove the 

 enemy into an apple tree, and fought him there 

 so furiously, that he was soon glad to retreat, 

 and give up his chance of getting a dinner in 

 that quarter. 



