546 



CROWN. 



approaches the vicinity. Every artifice is employed 

 to call attention awiiy from the young, which spern to 

 comprehend the directions or calls of their farents, 

 and remain perfectly silmt ;m<l motionless. In the 

 mean while, i lit- lather and mot tier fly towards the 

 sportsman, taking care not to remain an instant in one 

 place, and, by the most vociferous outcries, depre- 

 cate his cruelty. These efforts being continued, their 

 voluntary exposure, and the eagerness with which 

 they fly about a particular spot, are almost always 

 successful in withdrawing the sportsman from the 

 place where the young actually are. As soon as they 

 have succeeded in leading him to a sufficient distance, 

 they cease their accents of distress, fly a little farther 

 from their young, and from a lofty perch, which en- 

 ables them to watch all around, utter an occasional 

 cry, wlu'ch one may readily imagine to be intended 

 for the direction and encouragement of their off- 

 spring. 



The most successful mode of destroying crows, is 

 that of invading them in their extensive dormitories 

 during the night. When they have selected a pine 

 thicket, or other dense piece of wood, for a roosting 

 place, they repair thither with great regularity. 

 Every evening, vast flocks come sailing to the retreat, 

 and the trees are literally covered and bowed down. 

 When the state of Maryland received crow scalps in 

 payment of taxes, at three cents each, parties were 

 frequently made to attack the crow roosts. People 

 with guns were stationed at various parts, surround- 

 ing the roosts, and all those of one division fired at 

 once ; the slaughter was necessarily dreadful, and 

 those remaining unhurt, bewildered by the darkness, 

 the flashing and report of the guns, and the distress- 

 ing cries of their companions; flew but to a little dis- 

 tance, and settled near another party with guns. As 

 soon as they were fairly at rest, the same tragedy 

 was reacted and repeated, until the approach of day 

 or the fatigue of their destroyers caused a cessation. 

 The wounded were then despatched by knocking 

 them on the head or wringing their necks, and the 

 bill, with so much of the skull as passed for a scalp, 

 was cut off and strung for the payment of the tax- 

 gatherer. The poor people, who had no taxes to 

 pay, disposed of their crow scalps to the store-keepers, 

 who purchased them at rather a lower rate. This 

 premium has long been discontinued, and the number 

 of these marauders is, in many parts of that state, 

 quite large enough to require its re-establishment. 



CROWN. In the early ages, when men were 

 fond of expressing all their feelings by outward signs, 

 a wreath of flowers or leaves was naturally one of 

 the first emblems of honour or of joy. Such was the 

 ornament of the priest in the performance of sacrifice, 

 of the hero on his return from victory, of the bride at 

 her nuptials, and of the guests at a feast. The an- 

 cient mythology, which gave everything a distinct 

 beginning and a poetical origin, ascribes the inven- 

 tion of wreaths to Prometheus, who imitated, with 

 flowers, the fetters which he had borne for his love to 

 mankind, whom he had created. According to Pliny, 

 wreaths were first made of ivy, and Bacchus first 

 wore them. In process of time, they were made of 

 very different materials. Those worn by the Greeks 

 at feasts in honour of a divinity, were made of the 

 plant consecrated to the god. Wreaths of roses 

 afterwards became very common. In some cases, 

 wreaths were even made of wool. Wreaths of ivy 

 and amethyst were worn by the Greeks, on the head, 

 neck, and breast, at entertainments, with a view to 

 prevent drunkenness. Mnesitheus and Callimachus, 

 two Greek physicians, wrote entire books on wreaths, 

 and their medical virtues. Corpses were covered 

 with wreaths and green branches. Lovers adorned 

 with wreaths and flowers the doors of their mistresses, 



and even captives, who were to be sold as slaves, 

 wore wreaths ; hence the phrase sub corona venire or 

 vendere. The beasts sacrificed to the gods were also 

 crowned. Wreaths, in process of time, were made 

 of metal, in imitation of flowers, or of the fillet which 

 the priest wore round his head when he sacrificed, 

 which was called S<2/t. This attribute of distinc- 

 tion was early adopted by the kings, when they unit- 

 ed in their persons the temporal unil ^piritnal power. 

 Among the various crowns and wreaths in use 

 among the Greeks and Romans were the following : 



Corona agonothetarum ; the reward of the victor 

 in the great gymnastic games. 



Corona aurea (the golden crown) ; the reward of 

 remarkable bravery. 



Corona castrensis ; 



given to him who first entered the camp of the 

 enemy. 



Corona civica (See Civic Crown) ; one of the high- 

 est military rewards. It was given to him who had 

 saved the life of a citizen. 



Corona convivalis ; the wreath worn at feasts. 

 Corona muralis; 



given by the general to the soldier who first scaled 

 the enemy's wall. 



Corona natalitia ; a wreath which parents hang 

 up before the door at the birth of a child. It was 

 made of olive branches if the child was a boy, and of 

 wool if a girl. 



Corona navalia { 



the next in rank after the civic crown, was given to 

 him who first boarded and took an enemy's vessel. 



Corona nuptialis; a crown or wreath worn by 

 brides. The bridegroom, also, and his relations, on the 

 day of the wedding, adorned themselves with wreaths. 

 At first, the corona nuptialis was of flowers ; after- 

 wards, of gold or silver and precious stones. 

 Corona obsidionalis ; 



