"Vol. xxxvi 



1918 



Townsend, A Winter Crow Roost. 413 



January first, 1917, that I discovered a Crow in the topmost branch 

 of a slender fifty-foot ash tree on the edge of the roost. A string 

 had in some way become entangled about one foot and the branch 

 of the tree. Struggle as he would he could not free himself and 

 although he could perch at ease on the branch, he often hung head 

 downwards from it exhausted by his fruitless efforts. While I 

 watched him and searched my brain for some means for his release, 

 another Crow repeatedly swooped down and passed within a few 

 feet or even inches of the poor captive. Both birds were cawing 

 violently. As it was impossible to climb the slender tree I decided 

 to go on to the beach, hoping that in my absence fortune would 

 favor the bird, and that the string might become untangled. On 

 my return an hour later the victim was still tied fast while on the 

 ground a few yards from the foot of the tree and directly in my 

 path was the body of a Crow still warm. No other Crow was in 

 the neighborhood. The dead Crow was a male of normal size as 

 shown by measurements, its plumage was in good condition and 

 it showed every evidence of perfect health. No injury could be 

 found anywhere — there was no sign of hemorrhage under the skin 

 in the abdominal cavity or in the skull. Fat was present in con- 

 siderable amount, especially about the vicera. 



In order to finish the story it may be recorded here that by the 

 forcible bending down of the top of the slender ash so that the 

 captive Crow could be reached from another tree this unfortunate 

 bird (of its sex I am ignorant) was released only to die on the follow- 

 ing day. I shall not attempt to answer the question as to the 

 cause of the death of the Crow whose autopsy I have related, but 

 one is tempted to say that he died of grief for the captive one. 



During the greater part of the day the roost is deserted, but there 

 is much to be learned of the ways of the Crow even under these 

 conditions. Pellets and droppings are everywhere on the ground 

 under the trees as well as in the surrounding fields and they are 

 especially obvious when the ground is covered with snow. The fact 

 that the snow in the fields near the roost is well trodden by the 

 Crows and spotted with droppings and pellets might lead one to 

 think that the birds had spent the night there, but these studies 

 have shown that the field was merely a reception room where the 

 birds met before retiring for the night. 



