RAVEN, CROW, JVIAGPIE, JAY, AND ROOK. 91 



only too glad to eat tliem. Some people seem 

 to think the best thing to do with these eggs 

 is to get them eaten raw by certain black or 

 black-and-white birds as soon after they are 

 laid as possible. We differ from them, that 

 is all. 



The numbers of these birds have been so 

 reduced that their depredations are to a great 

 extent forgotten. We remember, years ago, 

 losing a whole brood of chickens by a carrion 

 crow, and Mr. C. Eussell states that he knew 

 ' ten ducklings carried away by a magpie.' Was 

 that a desirable state of things.^ We believe 

 that if Mr. Waterton's system were universally 

 adopted (and it is worthy either of imitation or 

 condemnation), in ten years from the present 

 time it would be difficult to rear either ducks 

 or chickens unless under nets. 



A man once told the judge who sentenced 

 him to be hanged for sheep-steahng, that he 

 thought it hard to be hanged for stealing a 

 sheep. The judge told him he was to be 



