THE CROW. 63 



sheep, pointing his gun through a loop-hole in the barn and 

 that did happen once I consider that he does well. 



Though not a few of the Crows remain here over winter; 

 many more appear to go south, where they congregate in 

 immense flocks, and are very destructive. 



The unfrequented evergreen woods of Goat Island at 

 Niagara Falls, in winter, and the steep, forest-clad slopes 

 of the inaccessible gorge from the Falls to Queenstown 

 Heights, throughout the year, are famous roosting places for 

 the Crows. Here they may be seen at night-fall in almost 

 countless numbers, streaming in in long processions from 

 all the region round about. 



The Crow's ordinary note, khrah, khrah, khrah, with a 

 strong, guttural sound before the vowel, is familiar to every 

 one. In the month of April, in New York, when the males 

 are winning the females, the former will perch on some limb 

 of a tall tree in the forest, and bowing most obsequiously, 

 will utter in a low, deep tone the syllables, Chow-ow-ow-ow, 

 chow-ow-ow-ow. 



In respect to diet this species may be called omnivorous; 

 stripping the sour cherry-tree of its abundant crop, stealing 

 a chicken, lighting on the backs of cattle to devour the 

 larvae of the gad-fly under their skin, or regaling, in vast 

 numbers, on offensive carrion, as readily as it would feast on 

 insects and corn. 



The Crow is a most annoying enemy of the Hawks and 

 the Owls. As kingly a bird as the Red-tailed Hawk, can 

 find no peace in his presence. Driven from his lordly perch 

 among tall trees, I have seen him condescend to alight 

 among the tall grass of the meadow, as if to hide himself 

 away from persecution; but here the Crows would dive 

 into his face, and, with the most persistent impudence, com- 

 pel him to take shelter in some distant wood. 



