208 CROWS AND ROOKS. 



when, to his great surprise, about a year afterwards, as 

 he was walking out, a Crow, flying over his head, in 

 company with others, left them, and, flying towards him, 

 perched on his shoulder. He soon recognised the bird 

 to be his lost favourite ; but, though the Crow appeared 

 very glad to see its old master, it seemed to have learned 

 the value of liberty, and would not allow itself to be 

 caught; and at last, looking up after its companions, 

 again took wing, and was never seen or heard of more. 



It has been observed, that they are usually of solitary 

 habits, seldom associating in greater numbers than pairs ; 

 but this rule has also its exceptions, and the following 

 instances of the mysterious assemblages of birds may be 

 justly classed amongst their most extraordinay instinctive 

 habits. 



In the northern parts of Scotland, and in the Feroe 

 Islands, extraordinary meetings of Crows are occasionally 

 known to occur. They collect in great numbers, as if 

 they had been all summoned for the occasion ; a few of 

 the flock sit with drooping heads, and others seem as 

 grave as judges, while others again are exceedingly ac- 

 tive and noisy : in the course of about an hour they dis- 

 perse, and it is not uncommon, after they have flown, 

 away, to find one or two left dead on the spot. Another 

 writer* says, that these meetings will sometimes con- 

 tinue for a day or two, before the object, whatever it 

 may be, is completed. Crows continue to arrive from 

 all quarters during the session. As soon as they have 

 all arrived, a very general noise ensues, and, shortly 

 after, the whole fall upon one or two individuals and put 

 them to death : when this execution has been performed, 

 they quietly disperse. 



Another and nearly similar meeting was witnessed 

 near Oggersheim, a small village on the banks of the 

 Rhine; where, in a large meadow, every autumn, the 

 Storks assemble, to hold (as the country people call it) 

 a council, just before their annual migration. On one 



* DK. EDMONSTOH'S Shetland Islet. 



