A HERMIT'S WILD FRIENDS 



would be rapidly uttered. This cry " Cur- 

 cur-cur," is usually quickly repeated, and the 

 crows rush to the shelter of the pines. 



Like human beings, crows have courts of 

 justice. The jury, however, tries, convicts, 

 and punishes the criminal. Sometimes I have 

 witnessed these trials. Once, while sitting 

 under a sentinel- tree, I saw six crows flying 

 across the swamp, headed for the tree. Five 

 of the crows were striking at one crow that 

 was evidently trying to escape. When the 

 crows reached the tree, the criminal was sur- 

 rounded by the others. This was not to his 

 liking, and he flew to an upper limb. One of 

 the crows said something to him, and he an- 

 swered in a loud, defiant tone. For ten min- 

 utes the trial went on. Each crow had some- 

 thing to say, while the criminal replied in the 

 most aggressive style. At last the criminal 

 seemed to be convicted, when he flew away 

 with a string of caws that doubtless, in crow 

 language, meant, " Go to hades, the whole 

 blooming lot of you." One old crow shouted 

 " Car-r-r-r-r," as much as to say, " I told you 

 152 



