THE CAREION CEOW. 83 



and also in Japan ; while a Russian naturalist states that it inha- 

 bits the country south of the Caucasian range, between the Black 

 and Caspian Seas. WILSON describes a Carrion Crow, which he 

 says is identical with the European species, and tells us that it is 

 generally distributed over the cultivated parts of North America. 

 And, coming again to our own country, we may remark that the 

 Irish naturalist, THOMPSON, informs us that it frequents the sea- 

 coast of that country, chiefly through the northern parts. We 

 believe that there are no English counties in which these birds 

 are not found. Here is MUDIE'S account of their habits : 



" They nestle in high trees, but they prefer the neighbourhood 

 of rich countries, and hence they are not found in the Highlands. 

 They prowl about, even to the doors of the houses, and into the 

 poultry -yards, and are voracious devourers of eggs, young poul- 

 try, young rabbits, and young game, even more so than the regu- 

 lar birds of prey. They punch out the eyes of weak animals, 

 hawk at birds on the wing, open-shelled mollusca on the sea- 

 shore ; and there are modern instances in corroboration of the 

 story of the ancient philosopher who was killed by a crow mis- 

 taking his head for a stone, and dropping an oyster on it in order 

 to break the shell. One of these was seen by the celebrated 

 WATT. A crow caught up a crab, rose with it to a considerable 

 height, dropped it, not on the head of a modern philosopher or 

 he might not have come more safely off than the ancient one 

 but on a stone, and descended to her feast. 



" Though not a very long winged bird, the Carrion Crow rises to 

 a considerable height, higher than that at which the Hooded Crow 

 is seen ; and in defence of her brood, she beats off the smaller 

 Hawks, the Kite, and the Raven. The brood remain with the 

 parent birds till next breeding time ; and though these Crows 

 collect in small flocks during the winter, they seem to do so 

 rather from an accidental meeting in quest of food, than from 

 any principle or instinct of a social nature. During the breeding 

 season, each pair keep within their own territory, which is of 

 considerable extent, though at other times they associate during 

 the night. When the spring begins to be felt, they separate : 

 the Hooded Crows migrate, and the Books collect together. These 

 are, at least, distinctions of habit." 



WILSON gives some interesting particulars of the in-door habits 

 of this bird. " The Crow is easily raised and domesticated ; and 

 it is only when thus rendered unsuspicious of, and placed on 

 terms of familiarity with man, that the true traits of his geniua 

 and native disposition fully develop themselves. In this state he 

 Boon learns to distinguish all the members of the family ; flies 

 towards the gate, screaming, at the approach of a stranger; 



