196 BOMBAY DUCKS 
hostile, and acts accordingly. If it be small or weak, 
it makes itself scarce when it catches sight of the 
stranger ; but if it be strong or gregarious, it forthwith 
proceeds to mob the intruder. The Indian crow, being 
a bold, powerful bird of gregarious habits, is an excel- 
lent subject upon which to study the feelings excited in 
an animal by a strange species. 
Recently there arose a tremendous commotion among 
the crows in the fort at Madras. I looked out of the 
window to see what had happened, and observed a 
large white object flit by, followed by a mob of excited 
crows. The white object settled in a tree and I then 
saw that it was a cockatoo, which had evidently escaped 
from captivity. Its pursuers all perched in the tree, as 
close to it as discretion permitted. Their clamours 
filled the air. 
The cockatoo thought that the summit of the tree 
would be a better strategic position, so climbed up to 
the topmost branch, with the twenty or thirty crows in 
attendance. None of them seemed to care to com- 
mence the attack. One or two made feints, but a 
threatening snap by the cockatoo caused them to 
desist. So the cockatoo and the crows remained there, 
glaring at each other. I think that the former, as he 
sat in that tree, confronted by the black rabble, must 
have hankered after the fleshpots of Egypt which he 
had left behind ; he must have felt that liberty, after all, 
was not the sweet thing which it is said to be. Never- 
theless, he showed a bold front to the black crew. 
These, however, did not mean to let him escape. 
They were content to await developments. After a 
