Winged Vermin Food of the Crow. 435 



of the eggs deposited in outlying corners, &c., by perverse- 

 natured hens which will lay astray, and it is no uncommon 

 occurrence for some wily old carrion crow to systematically 

 visit such a nest and daily purloin the freshly laid eggs. 

 These depredations in and around the farmyard are for 

 the most part carried on either in the early morning, or 

 at least before the middle of the day has arrived, with its 

 consequent bustling about, and, although the crow is dis- 

 posed to snap up any duckling or chicken which may be 

 roaming the fields at some slight distance from the house, its 

 favourite way is to hang about in the morning, and accord- 

 ing to circumstances betake itself subsequently to some 

 more distant parts of the place, where it may conveniently 

 have a good time amongst the young and eggs of the 

 game, or disport itself on a tender young coney. We 

 mention these habits of the crow in respect of young 

 poultry more particularly, as, although its mischief amongst 

 game is very considerable, it renders itself as easily taken 

 by traps, &c., in the former case as in the latter. As the 

 season for the above-named food draws to a close, the crow 

 is obliged to make shift in other directions than in the 

 preserves and poultry yard, and although it prefers at all 

 times food of the nature just described, when the carcase 

 of a dead sheep or bullock is in the neighbourhood, the 

 crow is able to some extent to verify its cognomen of 

 " carrion crow." But putrid flesh is by no means so much 

 to its liking as to warrant the appellation given to it. In 

 addition to this name, many other local ones are applied 

 to this bird ; the best known are Corbie Crow, Midden 

 Crow, Gor Crow (probably by reason of its usual cry), 



