98 On the Ornithology of Wilts '[Corvidce]. 



finement, and its powers of imitating the human voice, and many 

 interesting proofs of its wonderful sagacity and quaint manners, 

 though I could fill a page or two with such anecdotes, trusting 

 that the Rev. G. Marsh will some day write in this Magazine a 

 monograph on this bird, with a full account of the notorious Raven, 

 which is now domiciled at Sutton Benger, and of its predecessors 

 which that gentleman has kept for many years, and with whose 

 habits and manners of life he is so thoroughly acquainted. 



"Carrion Crow" [Corviis cor one). So much resembling the 

 last described in form and manners, but of smaller size, that it may 

 well be termed " the Miniature Raven." This species is likewise 

 seldom seen in flocks, pairs for life, and may be found in wooded 

 districts throughout the County, in colour it is jet black, without 

 the metallic lustre so conspicuous in the plumage of the Raven : it 

 is very bold and a great enemy to young game and eggs as well as 

 to the poultry yard : its ordinary food, for lack of carrion which it 

 rarely finds here, is any animal matter it can pick up, and failing 

 this, it contents itself with grain and vegetable diet. Though shy 

 and with reason suspicious of too great familiarity with man, it is 

 one of the most pugnacious of birds and will attack and drive away 

 all intruders from its nest ; Mr. Waterton, who has protected it 

 and studied its habits closely at Walton Hall, says, " It is a very 

 early riser, and long before the rook is on the wing, you hear this 

 bird announcing the approach of morn with his loud hollow croak- 

 ing from the oak to which he had resorted the night before : he 

 retires to rest later than the rook, indeed as far as I have been able 

 to observe his motions, I consider him the first bird on wing in the 

 morning, and the last at night, of all our non-migrating diurnal 

 British Birds." 



"Hooded Crow" (Corvus comix). With all the bad and none 

 of the good qualities of the preceding, this Crow is no favorite in 

 those parts of England where it abounds : it is a determined de- 

 stroyer of the eggs and young of game birds, more especially of 

 the genus Grous, and is cowardly as well as cruel in the execution 

 of its victims. Mr. St. John in his " Field notes and Tour in Suther- 

 land" speaks of it in no measured terms, and declares it is the " only 



