1 24 RAMBLES OF 



guinary work is continued until the shooters are fatigued, 

 or the approach of daylight gives the survivors a chance 

 of escape. Then the work of collecting the heads from 

 the dead and wounded began, and this was a task of con- 

 siderable difficulty, as the wounded used their utmost 

 efforts to conceal and defend themselves. The bill and 

 half the front of the skull were cut off together, and strung 

 in sums for the tax-gatherer, and the product of the night 

 divided according to the nature of the party formed. 

 Sometimes the great mass of shooters were hired for the 

 night, and received no shares of scalps, having their am- 

 munition provided by the employers ; other parties were 

 formed of friends and neighbours, who clubbed for the 

 ammunition, and shared equally in the result. 



During hard winters the crows' suffer severely, and 

 perish in considerable numbers from hunger, though 

 they endure a wonderful degree of abstinence without 

 much injury. When starved severely, the poor 

 wretches will swallow bits of leather, rope, rags, in short 

 any thing that appears to promise the slightest relief. 

 Multitudes belonging to the Bristol roost, perished dur- 

 ing the winter of 1828-9 from this cause. All the water 

 courses were solidly frozen, and it was distressing to 

 observe these starvelings every morning winging their 

 weary way towards the shores of the sea in hopes of 

 food, and again to see them toiling homewards in the 

 afternoon, apparently scarce able to fly. 



In speaking of destroying crows, we have never ad- 



