14 THE COMMON CROW. 



Such roosts are known to be thus occupied for years, beyond the 

 memory of individuals ; and I know of one or two, which the oldest 

 residents in the quarter state to have been known to their grand- 

 fathers, and probably had been resorted to by the Crows during sev- 

 eral ages previous. There is one of great age and magnificent extent 

 in the vicinity of Rock Creek, an arm of the Patapsco. They are suffi- 

 ciently numerous on the rivers opening into the Chesapeake, and are 

 eyerywhere similar in their general aspect. Wilson has signalized 

 such a roost at no great distance from Bristol, Pa., and I know by 

 observation, that not less than a million of crows sleep there nightly 

 during the winter season. 



u To gather Crow heads from the roost, a very large party was made 

 up, proportioned to the extent of surface occupied by the dormitory. 

 Armed with double-barreled and duck guns, which threw a large charge 

 of shot, the company was divided into small parties, and these took 

 stations, selected during the daytime, so as to surround the roost as 

 nearly as possible. A dark night was always preferred, as the Crows 

 could not when alarmed fly far, and attack was delayed until full mid- 

 night. All being at their posts, the firing was commenced by those 

 who were most advantageously posted, and followed up successively 

 by the others, as the affrighted Crows sought refuge in their vicinity. 

 On every side the carnage then raged fiercely, and there can scarcely 

 be conceived a more forcible idea of the horrors of a battle, than such a 

 scene afforded. The Crows screaming with fright and the pain of 

 the wounds, the loud deep roar produced by the raising of their whole 

 number in the air, the incessant flashing and thundering of the guns, 

 and the shouts of their eager destroyers, all produced an effect which 

 can never be forgotten by anyone who has witnessed it, nor can it well 

 be adequately comprehended by those who have not. Blinded by the 

 blaze of the powder, and bewildered by the thicker darkness that 

 ensues, the Crows rise and settle again at a short distance, without 

 being able to withdraw from the field of danger; and the sanguinary 

 work is continued until the shooters are fatigued, or the approach of 

 daylight gives the survivors a chance of escape. Then the work of 

 collecting the heads from the dead and wounded began, and this was a 

 task of considerable difficulty, as the wounded used their utmost efforts 

 to conceal and defend themselves. The bill and half the front of the 

 skull were cut off together, and strung in sums for the taxgatherer, and 

 the product of the night divided according to the nature of the party 

 formed. Sometimes the great mass of shooters were hired for the night, 

 and received no shares of scalps, having their ammunition provided by 

 the employers; other parties were formed of friends and neighbours, 

 who clubbed for the ammunition and shared equally in the result. 



"During hard winters the Crows suffer severely and perish in consid- 

 erable numbers from hunger, though they endure a wonderful degree 

 of abstinence without much injury. When starved severely, the poor 



