1 1 8 RAMBLES OF 



gardless of men, fire-arms, or the fall of their compa- 

 nions, continuing their wrangling with rancorous obsti- 

 nacy. A similar disposition may be produced among 

 them by catching a large owl, and tying it with a cord 

 of moderate length to the limb of a naked tree in a 

 neighbourhood frequented by the crows. The owl is one 

 of the few enemies which the crow has much reason to 

 dread, as it robs the nests of their young, whenever they 

 are left for the shortest time. Hence, whenever crows 

 discover an owl in the day time, like many other birds, 

 they commence an attack upon it, screaming most voci- 

 ferously, and bringing together all of their species with- 

 in hearing. Once this clamour has fairly begun, and their 

 passions are fully aroused, there is little danger of their 

 being scared away, and the chance of destroying them 

 by shooting is continued as long as the owl remains un- 

 injured. But one such opportunity presented during my 

 residence where crows were abundant, and this was un- 

 fortunately spoiled by the eagerness of one of the gun- 

 ners, who, in his anxiety to demolish one of the crows, 

 fixed upon some that were most busy with the owl, and 

 killed it instead of its disturbers, which at once ended 

 the sport. When the crows leave the roost, at early 

 dawn, they generally fly to a naked or leafless tree in 

 the nearest field, and there plume themselves and chatter 

 until the daylight is sufficiently clear to show all objects 

 with distinctness. Of this circumstance I have taken 

 advantage several times to get good shots at them in 



