68 THE PESTS OF THE FARM. 



being previously procured as decoys, or, as they are called, stool- 

 crows. Corn lias been steeped in a strong decoction of hellebore, 

 which, when eaten by them, produces giddiness, and finally, it is 

 said, death. Pieces of paper formed into the shape of a hollow 

 cone, besmeared within with birdlime, and a grain or two of corn 

 dropped on the bottom, have also been adopted. Numbers of 

 these being placed on the ground, where corn has been planted, 

 the crows attempting to reach the grains, are instantly hoodwinked, 

 fly directly upwards to a great height ; but generally descend near 

 the spot whence they rose, and are easily taken. The reeds of their 

 roosting places are sometimes set on fire during a dark night, and 

 the gunners having previously posted themselves around, the crows 

 rise in great uproar, and, amidst the general consternation, by the 

 light of the burnings, hundreds of them are shot down. 



Crows have been employed to catch crows, by the following 

 stratagem : A live crow is pinned by the wings down to the 

 ground on his back, by means of two sharp, forked sticks. Thus 

 situated, his cries are loud and incessant, particularly if any other 

 crows are within view. These, sweeping down about him, are in- 

 stantly grappled by the prostrate prisoner, by the same instinctive 

 impulse that urges a drowning person to grasp at everything within 

 his reach. Having disengaged the game from his clutches, the 

 trap is again ready for another experiment ; and by pinning down 

 each captive, successively, as soon as taken, in a short time you will 

 probably have a large flock screaming above you, in concert with 

 the outrageous prisoners below. Many farmers, however, are con- 

 tent with hanging up the skins, or dead carcasses, of crows in their 

 corn-fields, in terrorem ; others depend altogether on the gun, keep- 

 ing one of their people supplied with ammunition, and constantly 

 on the look out. 



The habits of the crow in his native state are so generally known 

 as to require little further illustration. His watchfulness, and jeal- 

 ous sagacity in distinguishing a person with a gun, are notorious 

 to every one. In spring, when he makes his appearance among 

 the groves and low thickets, the whole ^ feathered songsters are in- 

 stantly alarmed, well knowing the depredations and murders he 

 commits on their nests, eggs, and young. Few of them, however, 

 have the courage to attack fiim, except the king bird, who, on these 

 occasions, teases and pursues him from place to place, diving on his 

 back while high in the air, and harassing him for a great distance. 

 A single pah* of these noble-spirited birds, whose nest was buili 



