THE CROW. 7 



does the tail-pulling, while the male takes the post of 

 danger in front ; in one instance I made sure of this 

 from the forbearing behaviour of the Crow which had 

 snatched the bone of contention, which he was able 

 to do before any tail-pulling had taken place. I 

 have alluded to the Crows annoying kites by way 

 of recreation, and there is no doubt whatever that 

 this is the object, just as they seem to take pleasure 

 in letting a man come as near them as is consistent 

 with safety. But they seem also to have regular 

 games ; at any rate I cannot otherwise account for 

 the habit they have of assembling in the evening 

 and playing what looks very like " I'm the king of 

 the castle " on the Museum lightning-conductors, 

 for the spiky top of these rods is not a pleasant seat 

 for a Crow ; and yet they are constantly trying to 

 sit on them at this time. 



The Crow on the whole must have a very happy 

 life. He cannot want for food, for in addition to his 

 natural prey of carrion and insects, he can pick up or 

 steal all sorts of remnants of man's food ; which 

 makes it the more remarkable that his feeding habits 

 are at times so unspeakably nasty. His enemies, 

 outside man, who does not often get a chance at him, 

 are few ; and that the struggle for existence does not 

 press him very hard seems obvious from the fact 

 that he always has plenty of time to spare in annoying 



