THE CARRION CROW IN THE BALANCE 43 



banks at Chelsea, and I could always time them 

 within a minute or two.' These birds come on 

 their way from the northern heights to the river 

 at Chelsea ; the crows that breed in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Syon Park and Eichmond fly over 

 the central parks to Westminster, and then follow 

 the river down to its mouth. 



The persistency with which the carrion crow 

 keeps to his nesting-place may be seen in the 

 case of a pair that have bred in private grounds 

 at Hillfield, Hampstead, for at least sixty years. 

 Nor is it impossible to believe that the same 

 birds have occupied the site for this long period, 

 the crow being a long-lived creature. The 

 venerable author of ' Festus,' who also has the 

 secret of long life, might have been thinking of 

 this very pair when, more than half a century ago, 

 he wrote his spirited lyric : 



The crow ! the crow ! the great black crow ! 



He lives for a hundred years and mo' ; 



He lives till he dies, and he dies as slow 



As the morning mists down the hill that go. 



Go go ! you great black crow ! 



But it's fine to live and die like a great black crow. 



Many persons might be inclined to think 

 that it must be better for the crow to have his 



