A NATURALIST. 115 



creatures, and those who wish to be convinced of the 

 truth of what we have stated in relation to them, may 

 still see this identical crow skull, in the Baltimore Mu- 

 seum, to which I presented it after finishing the dissec- 

 tion. At least, I saw it there a year or two since, 

 though I little thought, when employed in examining, or 

 even when I last saw it, that it would ever be the subject 

 of such a reference " in a printed book." 



Not easily disheartened by preceding failures, I next 

 resolved to try to outwit the crows, and for this purpose 

 prepared a long line, to which a very considerable num- 

 ber of lateral lines were tied, having each a very small 

 fishing hook at the end. Each of these hooks was bait- 

 ed with a single grain of corn, so cunningly put on, 

 that it seemed impossible that the grain could be taken 

 up without the hook being swallowed with it. About 

 four o'clock, in order to be in full time, I rowed up to 

 the sandy point, made fast my main line to a bush, and 

 extending it toward the water, pegged it down at the 

 other end securely in the sand. I next arranged all my 

 baited lines, and then covering them all nicely with 

 sand, left nothing exposed but the bait. This done, I 

 scattered a quantity of corn all around, to render the 

 baits as little liable to suspicion as possible. After taking 

 a final view of the arrangement, which seemed a very 

 hopeful one, I pulled my boat gently homeward, to wait 

 the event of my solicitude for the capture of the crows. 

 As usual, they arrived in thousands, blackened the sand 



