A NATURALIST. 121 



especially should a strong wind blow against them : 

 at this season, also, being rather poorly fed, they are 

 of necessity less vigorous. Should the wind be ad- 

 verse, they fly as near the earth as possible, and of 

 this the shooters, at the time I allude to, took ad- 

 vantage. A large number would collect on such an 

 afternoon, and station themselves close along the 

 foot-way of a high bank, over which the crows were 

 in the habit of flying ; and as they were in a great 

 degree screened from sight as the flock flew over, 

 keeping as low as possible, because of the wind, their 

 shots were generally very effectual. The stronger 

 was the wind, the greater was their success. The 

 crows that were not injured found it very difficult to 

 rise, and those that diverged laterally only came 

 nearer to gunners stationed in expectation of such 

 movements. The flocks were several hours in pass- 

 ing over ; and as there was generally a considerable 

 interval between each company of considerable size, 

 the last arrived, unsuspicious of what had been going 

 on, and the shooters had time to recharge their arms. 

 But the grand harvest of crow heads was derived 

 from the invasion of their dormitories, which are 

 well worthy a particular description, and should be 

 visited by every one who wishes to form a proper 

 idea of the number of these birds that may be ac- 

 cumulated in a single district. The roost is most 

 commonly the densest pine-thicket that can be found, 

 generally at no great distance from some river, bay, 

 or other sheet of water, which is the last to freeze, 

 or rarely is altogether frozen. To such a roost the 

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