CHAPTER XLIX 

 CROWS BLACK AND GREY 



NEXT we come to the black crow, a distinct bird from the 

 grey crow in my opinion, with all due deference to what 

 has been said to the contrary, though, as is well known, 

 the two breed together. 



The black crow never flocks (although a clutch may be 

 seen together in autumn) ; the grey crow does flock, some- 

 times in large numbers. 



The black crow is resident in Norfolk ; the grey crow is a 

 migrant, though isolated specimens do stay throughout the 

 breeding season, but I never heard of them nesting. 



The black crow loves the woods and plantings ; the grey 

 crow loves the open marshes and mudflats. 



The black crow is quicker and shyer than the grey crow, 

 and more restless. The grey crow will sit for hours in damp 

 weather, moping like a wood-pigeon. Although inaccurate 

 literary hodmen have said they never keep still, any gunner 

 in Norfolk could teach those pseudo-scientists better. 



The black crow is rare in the Broadland, for coverts are 

 rare and gunners plentiful, but occasionally he is to be seen ; 

 and one pair I knew of built in an old rook's nest in a 

 rookery in a small planting. Immediately you entered this 

 rookery, you saw the pair fly up quickly and flap their 

 wings, hanging over the trees for a time, then flying away 

 and returning again, but flying off and coming back no more 

 until you had gone, so shy and artful were they. 



You may know the black crow by his blue eye, like a 



jackdaw's, for his feathered bill is no test, the rook having at 



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