64 THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 



delight to tease them, particularly to pinch the point 

 of an outstretched tail, if the owner thereof happened 

 to be asleep ; and a pinch of his sharp and powerful 

 bill, whatever pleasure it might afford him to inflict, 

 was no joke to his victim. 



Once an old woman was bringing a message to the 

 house. Just as she was crossing a stile, Crabbie's 

 quick eye fell on the spotless cap which adorned the 

 old body's head. It was an opportunity too tempting 

 to be resisted. Down he swooped, neatly plucked off 

 her head-dresSj and with a triumphant " Cra, Cra," flew 

 away with it. Not being aware there was any such 

 " uncanny brute " about the house, her consternation 

 may be imagined ; and when she appeared at the back 

 door bereft of her white muslin mutch, and told, in 

 tones of horrified agitation, how she had been despoiled 

 of it by a " craw," she met with much sympathy from 

 the domestics, who hated Grabble with a most perfect 

 hatred. And little wonder they hated him, for he 

 teased and tormented them unmercifully, and by his 

 never-ending tricks often imposed upon them a great 

 amount of additional work. For instance, clothes on 

 the bleaching green he seemed to regard as spread out 

 for the special purpose of affording him an opportunity 

 of showing how completely he could soil them. At 

 anyrate, what he did whenever he got the chance, was 

 to march and hop all over them in the most syste- 

 matic manner, with the dirtiest effect. 



What I am about to relate will appear to many 

 incredible; but having frequently witnessed it, I can 



