bat 
s t Ue. 
~ "s 
404 THE CROW. 
circumstance was quite new to the most experienced 
and oldest persons. It was never supposed that 
frost could have had this influence on animals 
resident in such a medium. 
The Crow is found in South Devon in about the 
same numbers as the Raven. Having gone through 
the great offices of nestling and rearing its brood in 
some deep unfrequented woodland, it is ever after 
a wanderer, and is seen with us at a variety 
of seasons examining the country in compary 
with its mate. It is especially a prying, inves- 
tigating bird; in the cold parts of winter it is 
often noticed on the shores turning over what the 
tide has cast up, and is occasionally noticed there 
in pairs in summer also; as we walk the roads at 
other times, our atfention is drawn to the hoarse 
note of this bird, watching on some tall tree in the 
midst of an adjoining wood, whence however, 
having assured himself that nothing is there to be 
obtained, he sails off in his strange circling flight 
to join his partner, uttering as he goes, discordant 
cries, and now and then stooping from aloft to 
inspect somewhat behind a hedge; then away go 
the pair bound for yon distant wood-crowned hill; 
as we walk by the side of some river during summer, 
we suddenly disturb on rare occasions, a solitary 
Crow, which had with patience and scrutiny, been 
looking out the Alasmodon margaritiferum from the 
bed of the stream. When the crow secures one he 
flies upward, and seeking a convenient rock, sus- - 
pends himself directly over it, and lets fall the 
precious shell to be shivered into pieces below, 
and thence the animal itself be readily available 
to this cunning finder. The Crow is said to treat 
similarly the Swan-mussel and Common-mussel. 
The species is more common about the south- 
east of Devon than elsewhere in the county. The 
squires of that part, I conclude are more merciful 
