INTELLIGENT HILL-CROWS 97 



these birds appeared at once to divine our intentions. 

 I was sure this was not the first time they had witnessed 

 an ibex-stalk. They found our quarry at once, and sat 

 close by the animals on a tree, croaking impatiently for 

 the denouement. After my first shot they disappeared, 

 and I never saw them again till I came down to the 

 stream. 



This was not the first time I had noticed the intelligence 

 of these birds ; a pair of them always attended our camp, 

 and followed us when we went off on our shooting ex- 

 cursions. I do not think they were the same pair, 

 however. I fancy a pair locate themselves permanently in 

 each valley. After we had left our breakfasting places, 

 they invariably came down to them and made a thorough 

 search for crumbs, etc. They were extremely cautious and 

 cunning. I tried several times to tempt them down with 

 pieces of chapati, thrown to some distance. They would 

 hover a few yards over the bread, or sit on a tree close by 

 eyeing it intently, but never attempting to seize the 

 morsels while I remained on the spot ; but as soon as we 

 left, they flew down, and had cleared away all the crumbs 

 before we had gone many yards. They were present at 

 almost every stalk I attempted, and, I am sure, were as 

 much pleased with good shots as I was myself. On the 

 other hand, I daresay I often heard their expressions of 

 disgust at my failures. They were most amusing in their 

 habits, which I watched closely, for hours together, when 

 lying idle on the hillside. This must have been their 

 pairing season, or connubial affection has been highly 

 cultivated among hill-crows. When the female was any 

 distance off from her lord, he would take up his position 

 on the thick branch of a tree and begin a series of calls 

 with every modulation of which his jarring voice was 

 capable : first it was a wheedling caw of affection, accom- 

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