274 THE COUNTRY CLERGYMAN. 



and annoyance. There is a pair of the crow spe- 

 cies that come at the same time and build in the 

 rocks opposite the island. As soon as the gulls 

 begin to lay, these crows are frequently hovering 

 over them, watching an opportunity to steal their 

 eggs, which they do in the quickest manner possi- 

 ble, running their bills through and carrying them 

 off in triumph. It is amusing to notice the con- 

 sternation throughout the colony while those thieves 

 are on the rocks; the nests closely covered by 

 those sitting, while the others by their noise and 

 threatening attitude, are doing their best to drive 

 the invaders away, but the crow is the most cun- 

 ning, and generally succeeds in her object. While 

 the young gulla are very small, they are also in the 

 same danger of being carried away. 



He added, that a remarkable instance was stated 

 to him by one of the light-keepers, which occurred 

 while he resided on the main. A pair of crows 

 had for some years frequented a spot in that quar- 

 ter, of that species which is seen on the Irish coast ; 

 they are grey at the back of the head and neck, 

 and the pair alluded to, were the only birds of 

 that description ever seen on the rock ; the light- 

 keeper shot one of them, and her surviving part- 

 ner was missed for three or four days, when she 

 returned with another crow precisely of the same 

 kind as the one shot, which left no question in the 

 opinion of those in the neighbourhood, but that 



