130 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 



old coachman, who for at least twenty years drove the 

 London and Leeds Express coach from Loughborough to 

 Mansfield, across Sherwood Forest, used to say that he 

 knew to a day when the grey crows would come upon 

 the forest. That day he said was Guy Fawkes day, 

 of notable memory, the 5th of .November/' My own 

 observations would lead me to confirm this as the usual, 

 though, as will be seen above, not the invariable time of 

 their arrival. 



The hooded crow generally frequents the uncultivated 

 districts, chiefly the wooded parts of the forest and 

 parks ; and though you may always make sure of seeing 

 it, it never occurs in flocks or large parties, but generally 

 in pairs, or as solitary birds. This species appears to 

 be only partially migratory, for though I never missed 

 its presence during the winter, yet at the same time 

 numbers are always to be seen on the seashores, its 

 habits being essentially maritime. There it follows the 

 ebb and flow of the tide with great constancy, feed- 

 ing greedily on anything that may turn up. It is very 

 shy and wary, rarely allowing you to come within gun- 

 shot unless you do it cautiously, yet at times I have 

 seen it exhibit much boldness and fearlessness. I was 

 riding on one occasion through the forest, where, perched 

 on an old oak, sat a pair of these birds. As I came 

 near, a sparrowhawk flew past within a few yards of the 

 tree on which the hoodies were sitting, when one of 

 them immediately took wing and attacked the hawk 

 with such fierceness and pertinacity that he seemed 

 fairly cowed. He made no show of resistance, but 

 doubtless thinking discretion the better part of valour, 

 left the field to his assailant, who, after following him 

 for some distance, returned in triumph to his mate, who 



