278 BOARD OF AGEICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



large permanent roosts as are described as existing in the 

 middle, southern and western States. This may be ex- 

 plained by the fact that a large number of crows migrate 

 south from the northern States and crowd into the middle 

 and southern States, where, the winter being less severe, 

 food is more plentiful. 



The crow roosts visited by the writer in eastern and cen- 

 tral Massachusetts were in evergreen trees, mainly in white 

 pine woods, and there the crows were known to change their 

 roosting places, moving from one locality to another and 

 again returning to the original roost. 



Just w^hy the crows congregate in these winter roosts is 

 hard to determine. It may be that they are in a measure 

 protected, by their great numbers, from their enemies, yet 

 they are doubtless sometimes attacked by the great horned 

 owl in the night, as evidences of the destruction of crows by 

 these owls are occasionall}' found in the snow about the roosts. 

 Crows sometimes hold what bears the semblance of a fune- 

 ral ceremony over their dead. In such a case, a crow hav- 

 ing been shot flew some distance and fell dead upon the snow. 

 Soon afterwards his body was discovered by another crow% 

 whose cries immediately assembled others from all quarters 

 of the compass, until a vast concourse was flying overhead. 

 They gradually settled upon the trees and kept up an inter- 

 mittent outcry for some time. In another case a single crow 

 appeared to be the leader, and it was long before the im- 

 mense throng dispersed. 



Crows have a habit of mobbing and hectoring any animal 

 that they believe to be an enemy. In the fall or winter 

 months they often gather in flocks and follow hawks or owls. 

 The appearance of a great horned owl, hawk, raccoon or fox, 

 either dead or alive, is the signal for the gathering of a mob 

 of crows from all the country round, when they will pursue 

 the luckless bird or animal, if it is alive, and continually 

 annoy it even if they do not actually attack it. At such 

 times, amid the noise and excitement, they lose some of their 

 habitual caution and may be more readily approached than 

 usual. They will sometimes press an owl very closely, keep- 

 ing the poor l>ird dodging about from tree to tree in a ludi- 

 crous manner. 



