54 COMMON BIRDS OF AN INDIAN GARDEN 



that the young koils should escape persecution on 

 leaving the nests in which they have been reared. 

 Mature birds are at once, attacked and bullied, 

 and one would certainly have expected to find 

 young ones, after they have left the nests of their 

 involuntary foster-parents, subject to like treat- 

 ment from the general body of crows. But they 

 are not; and one may see them for a long time 

 going about quite at their ease and wholly un- 

 molested in an environment swarming with crows. 

 Their immunity is certainly not to be accounted 

 for by the appearance of their plumage, for, by the 

 time that they are ready to leave the nest, they 

 are fully dressed in speckled grey suits so closely 

 resembling those of mature females of their own 

 species that, when I first observed the phenomenon, 

 I was filled with astonishment at what at first 

 sight seemed to be an exceptional instance of an 

 unmolested hen-bird. It is, however, possible that 

 for some time their coats retain enough smell of 

 crows to protect them from assault. 



However loose their morals may be in some 

 respects, crows seem to be very faithful in their 

 sexual relations. At all times of year affectionate 

 couples may be seen going about in company, or 

 sitting sociably side by side during the heat of the 

 day, conversing in low tones and carefully attend- 

 ing to each other's toilet. Under such circum- 

 stances they are apt to be morose to outsiders, 



