A NATURALIST. 115 



which I presented it after finishing the dissection. 

 At least, I saw it there a year or two since ; though 

 I little thought, when employed in examining, or 

 even when I last saw it, that it would ever be the 

 subject of such a reference, "in a printed book." 



Not easily disheartened by preceding failures, I 

 next resolved to try to outwit the crows, and for 

 this purpose prepared a- long line, to which a very 

 considerable number of lateral lines were tied, hav- 

 ing each a very small fish-hook at the end. Each 

 of these hooks was baited with a single grain of 

 corn, so cunningly put on, that it seemed impossible 

 that the grain could be taken up without the hook 

 being swallowed with it. About four o'clock, in order 

 to be in full time, I rowed up to the sandy point, 

 made fast my main line to a bush, and extending it 

 toward the water, pegged it down at the other end 

 securely in the sand. I next arranged all my baited 

 lines, and then, covering them all nicely with sand, 

 left nothing exposed but the bait. This done, I 

 scattered a quantity of corn all around, to render the 

 baits as little liable to suspicion as possible. After 

 taking a final view of the arrangement, which seemed 

 a very hopeful one, I pulled my boat gently home- 

 ward, to wait the event of my solicitude for the cap- 

 ture of the crows. As usual, they arrived in thou- 

 sands, blackened the sand beach, chattered, screamed, 

 and fluttered about in great glee, and finally sailed 

 over the creek and away to their roost, without hav- 

 ing left a solitary unfortunate to pay for having 

 meddled with my baited hooks. I jumped into the 



