THE CARRION AND THE HOODED CROW 331 



strength to pick it out and gulp it down, that its wisdom 

 may perish along with it. 



Another notion is, that in the body of this bird there is a 

 so-called Korp-sten, or raven- stone, which is possessed of the 

 remarkable property, that the individual swallowing it, will 

 be invisible to mortal eyes. 



The Carrion Crow (Svart-Krdka, or Black-Crow, Sw. ; 

 C. Corone, Linn.) ; said to have been seen in my vicinity ; 

 but it is doubtful, because Swedish naturalists assure us that 

 it has rarely been met with in Scandinavia, and then on the 

 south-eastern coast. 



This bird is scarce in Denmark Proper ; but in the 

 Duchies, especially in Holstein, it is more plentiful. In the 

 years 1846 and 1847 it paired, we are told, near to Rodby, 

 with the hooded crow, and produced hybrids. 



The Hooded Crow (Grd-Krdka, or Grey-Crow, Sw. ; 

 C. Comix, Linn.) was exceedingly common with us ; as 

 also throughout the peninsula to far within the polar circle. 

 Some may probably migrate ; but a portion remain during 

 the winter in the more southern parts of Sweden. 



It is a destructive bird, and devours not only the eggs of 

 other birds, but their young. On the coast it feeds much on 

 mussels, and as with the raven and some of the gull tribe, is 

 said to bear the fish aloft, and then drop it on the rocks 

 beneath to crush the shell, and thereby get at the contents. 



" This bird/' Pontoppidan tells us, " lives on carrion, and 

 such other foul food. It is said to warn other birds of their 

 pursuers ; for it smells gunpowder at a distance, and follows 

 the fowler with its shrieks." 



" When a number of hooded crows gather about carrion," 

 Kjserbolling says, " and indulge too freely of the dainty, they 



