ITS PREDATORY HABITS. Ill 



Throughout the Plays we meet with frequent allusions 

 to the crow, and its partiality for carrion. In the fifth act 

 of Cymbeline a scene is laid in a field between the British 

 and Roman camps, where the following dialogue takes 

 place : — 



" British Captain. Stand ! who's there ? 



Posthumns. A Roman, 



Who had not now been drooping here, if seconds 



Had answer'd him. 



British Captain. Lay hands on him ; a dog ! 



A leg of Rome shall not return to tell 



What crows have peck'd them here." 



Cymbeline, Act. v. Sc. 3. 

 Again — 



"Boy. Mine host Pistol, you must come to my 

 master, — and you, hostess ;— he is very sick, and would 

 to bed 



Host. By my troth, he'll yield the crow a pudding one 

 of these days." 



Henry V Act ii. Sc. 1. 



The Duke of York, on the field of St. Albans, boasting 

 of his victory over Lord Clifford, says, in reply to the 

 Earl of Warwick : — 



" The deadly -handed Clifford slew my steed, 

 But match to match I have encounter'd him, 



