PERCHING BIRDS. 129 



but distinct voice, " Ostler, come and take the gentle- 

 man's horse !" bustling about all the time in a pompous, 

 amusing manner, as if he had sole charge of the 

 yard. 



The Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) is a much more 

 frequent species, but as its predaceous habits bring it 

 unrelenting hostility, it is not abundant. Farmers dis- 

 like the " corby " for its attacks on their lambs as much 

 as the keepers do for its ravages on their game, so its 

 numbers are constantly thinned. 



They are rarely seen together in greater numbers than 

 a single pair, and these appear to remain constant to 

 each other throughout the year. Yet though exhibiting 

 much affection and faithfulness to each other, their 

 omnivorous appetites do not tend to recommend them 

 to our notice. Nothing comes amiss to them. The 

 young of hares and rabbits, as well as the nestlings 

 of any species of bird, are especially subject to their 

 attacks, and they are particularly partial to the eggs of 

 those birds that breed upon the ground, the partridge 

 and the plover for instance. I have seen them in a 

 place much resorted to by the latter bird, regularly 

 hunting for their eggs, of which they are very fond, 

 while their poor victims flew wildly about, uttering their 

 " pease-weep " in a very disconsolate and distressed tone ; 

 the young of many birds are also greatly subject to their 

 depredations. 



The Hooded Crow (Corvus comix] is a regular visitor 

 during the winter months, from November to March 

 inclusive. The earliest date of its arrival I have noted 

 was the 21st of October, and the latest of its departure 

 the 5th of April. Mr. Harley of Leicester, in a com- 

 munication to Macgillivray (vol. i. p. 72 1 ) says : " An 



K 



