THE CARRION CROW. 101 



Singular mode uf taking crows. 



origin of the wings. In this position the animal 

 struggles and screams; the rest of its species 

 flock to its cries from all quarters, with the in- 

 tention, probably, of affording relief. But tho 

 prisoner, grasping at every thing within reach to 

 extricate himself from his situation, seizes with 

 his bill and claws, which are left at liberty, all 

 that come near him, and thus delivers them 4 

 prey to the bird-catcher. Crows are also caught 

 with cones of paper baited with raw flesh; as the 

 "bird introduces his head to devour the bait, 

 which is near the bottom, the paper, being be- 

 smeared with bird-lime, sticks to the neck, and 

 he remains hooded. Unable to get rid of this 

 bandage which completely covers his eyes, the 

 crow rises almost perpendicularly into the air, 

 the better to avoid striking against any object; 

 till, quite exhausted, he sinks down near the spot 

 from which he mounted. 



If a crow be put into a cage, and exposed in 

 the fields, his calls generally attract the attention 

 of others that are in the neighbourhood, who im- 

 mediately flock around him. This plan is fre- 

 quently adopted in order to get these birds within 

 gun-shot; for, however shy they might otherwise 

 be, their care in this case is so much occupied 

 on their friend, as to render them heedless of the 

 gunner's approach. 



These birds are sometimes seen pied, and one 

 now in the menagerie at Exeter 'Change is per- 

 fectly white. It is said to have been taken out 



