HOODED AND CARRION CROWS. 101 



last species is exceedingly numerous about twenty 

 miles to the eastward, in the neighbourhood of 

 Shoreham and Brighton, where the carrion crow 

 is, in its turn, equally scarce. I may add that 

 my subsequent observations have proved the above 

 remarks to be correct, and that they have been 

 corroborated by the testimony of local observers 

 whose attention I had drawn to the subject. 



This peculiarity in the local distribution of the 

 two species, while impelled by the same instinct 

 to frequent the shores of our county during the 

 winter months, is certainly remarkable. It can 

 hardly be attributed to mutual dislike or hostility. 

 The well-authenticated instances which are on 

 record of the hooded crow having paired with the 

 carrion crow in a wild state would refute such an 

 idea.* Perhaps the varying character and aspect 

 of the country in the immediate vicinity of the sea 

 may aiford a clew to unravel the mystery. 



To the eastward, near Brighton, and for many 

 miles in that direction, the naked Downs approach 

 the coast, and present a considerable extent re- 

 sembling at least in the absence of wood the 

 native haunts of the hooded crow in Orkney and 

 Shetland. A natural predilection for such a 

 country may therefore induce these birds to 



* See Yarrell's ' History of British Birds.' 



