PHOTOGRAPHING THE CROW 103 



When there are three or more people, the absence of one of them on their depar- 

 ture is not so Hkely to occur to the Crow ; for we cannot suppose that the 

 Crow hterally counts, but rather that the idea of greater or lesser numbers 

 makes some sort of mental impression. 



But since, on this occasion, there were but two of us to carry out the scheme, 

 it was decided that I should wait in the hide for the Crow to go on to her nest, 

 and that my companion should endeavour to make himself as much like two 

 people as possible by taking off his coat and carrying it at arm's length, in as 

 ostentatious a manner as possible. 



So I crawled into the little dug-out, and having been duly covered in, 

 heard my companion say, ' Well, I'll go now : if you're all right.' I replied that 

 at present I was sufficiently comfortable, but that I expected an attack of 

 cramp during the next hour. A little later, on peeping through a little spy- 

 hole, I saw a large figure, which, as it receded into the distance, frantically 

 waved its coat in its outstretched right hand. 



Whether it was owing to this ruse or not, it is impossible to say, but within 

 an hour one of the Crows had returned to the branch at the top of the dead 

 elm. I am doubtful as to whether I should have known that she had taken 

 up this position, had it not been for the ' woof- woof ' of her wings as she passed, 

 quite low down, over my hiding-place, before swinging up on fully extended 

 wings to her favourite perch. 



From the hiding-place I had an extraordinarily good view of her, as she 

 sat with uplifted head, watching for any unusual movement. What a magnifi- 

 cent bird. With her powerful curved beak, thick glossy neck, and glistening 

 sides, she looked exactly like a miniature Raven. 



And what an unconscionably long time she spent in gazing about her, 

 preening her flight feathers and stropping her great beak ! As might be 

 supposed, the act of gazing upwards from such cramped quarters brought on 

 all too soon an aching of the neck which became most trying. But at length, 

 and just when the neck-aching had grown to be almost unbearable, the Crow, 

 without the least warning, suddenly planed down on half-closed wings to within 

 6 feet of the ground, and sneaked — if flying at such an altitude may be so 

 described — ^towards the foot of her own tree. Then of a sudden she swung 

 upwards, and landed with incredible ease on the edge of her nest, where for 

 a few moments she remained, immovable before attending to her wheezing 

 family. 



I had previously made up my mind that I would not attempt an exposure 

 until I saw that she was actually feeding the young, at which time, one would 

 suppose, she would be too intent on her duties to notice any possible movement 

 of the string. I, however, had under- estimated the wariness of my subject, 

 for as I commenced to tighten the string, I saw her head shoot up — alert, 

 suspicious — and in a flash she had gone. 



