THE CROW'S WING 



would make a run and crouch behind the 

 stone wall nearest me. It then became a cau- 

 tious stalk to get within range, by running a 

 little way each time the guard-mount was 

 shifted. It worked to a charm for some 

 time. I would approach within twenty or 

 thirty yards of them, and when a lone senti- 

 nel flew down after I had crept within range 

 I would get in one barrel at the bunch on 

 the ground and another shot as the survivors 

 rose. I averaged at least three crows to each 

 double discharge. Of course it was " pot- 

 hunting," but I considered the crows as " ver- 

 min," and shot them " on the wing, on the 

 head, on the tail anywhere." 



It was very exciting stalking for a while, but 

 they stopped it by a simple method of bird- 

 reasoning. The sentinel-crow finally got to 

 waiting until his " relief " flew up into the 

 tree before he flew down to join the gang in 

 the orchard. With a " lookout " always in 

 the tree my occupation as a crow-hunter was 

 gone. I could not begin to get within shot- 

 gun range of them. The minute I tried to 

 make a sneak on them the alarm was given, 

 and away they went to some other part of 



185 



