CROWS AND ROOKS. 237 



vain attempts to break through the hard shell of a 

 cockle or muscle, to seize it in their bill, mount 

 with it to a great height, and then let it fall on a 

 hard rock, by which it is broken, and the bird has 

 nothing more to do than to reap the fruits of its 

 forethought. 



It is said that this species of Crow will pair with 

 the common Crow, a proof how nearly allied the 

 two species are; as it seems almost an established 

 law of nature, one at least rarely infringed, that 

 neither animals nor birds, essentially differing, how- 

 ever near may be their apparent resemblance, will 

 ever breed together. One great difference, besides 

 the colour, which in the Hooded Crow is, as we have 

 remarked, partly gray, is, that the latter is a regular 

 migrating bird; that is, going and coming at certain 

 times of the year, to certain districts ; but even in 

 this respect the Carrion Crow has been known to 

 resemble it in a slight degree; it having been re- 

 marked by a naturalist, that in the parish in which 

 he resided, no Crows were seen for several months, 

 and what became of them, or whither they went, he 

 could never learn. 



The Crow, like the Raven, may be easily tamed, 

 and converted into a very entertaining member of a 

 family ; though, like the rest of the tribe, he is sure 

 to carry off, to some secret store, whatever he can 

 conveniently dispose of. He soon becomes quite 

 familiar, and distinguishes, at a glance, a stranger 

 from one of his friends ; and even after a long ab- 

 sence, will recollect those from whom he has re- 

 ceived kindness. A gentlemen had reared one, and 

 kept it for a long time, but at length it disappeared, 



