CROWS. 55 



them ; and were they older, then the shooting would come 

 to a speedy termination by the whole colony migrating with 

 natural expeditiousness to less disturbed regions. As it is, 

 some of the stronger birds go out to the pasture oaks, and 

 we have to go after them, wading for a shot waist deep 

 through wet, sweet-scented meadow parsley, or deep swathes 

 of grass almost ready for the scythe, before we come back 

 with our trophies, as likely as not wet through. But what 

 seems to our selfishness the choicest sport is to be alone this 

 early summer weather with our trusted little rifle only for 

 a companion, and license to be as unsociable as we will. 

 Then we can lie at leisure on the wide blue carpet of the 

 wood hyacinths, or, sauntering down the drives, come un- 

 observed upon many a curious bit of nature, and witness 

 many a little comedy or tragedy of the woods that the 

 powder-burners up at the hall never dream of. In this way 

 we have spent many a summer morning, lying perhaps con- 

 cealed among the green commas of the unwinding bracken 

 and the thin covering of the new leaves, while the rooks 

 fed their young ones on the low trees about us, all unsuspect- 

 ing of our presence. 



Within the limits of the crow species, as we know them 

 in England, are included some birds very dissimilar in out- 

 ward garb, though there is a perceptible family likeness 

 amongst them in character and outline. Their physical 

 blackness is but the reflex of the character they bear amongst 

 the less thoughtful, marking them as outlaws by flood and 

 forest, common enemies, excommunicated beyond hope of 

 redemption, whom it is virtuous to slay and witty to revile ! 



I am not going to white-wash them, but suggest the latest 

 views of other country-side observers, and my own, on the 

 depth of their negrititude. It is useless to pretend human 

 observation can detect a track of shame or remorse in crow 

 kind for even the most palpable and flagrant offences brought 

 home to them. Nest-pillaging village boys they detest, and 

 keepers, when they have a gun with them, they respect; 



