38 THE COMMON CROW. 



advantage of his wings, and before she can regain her place, has flown 

 over her and seized one of her chickens. When the cock is present, 

 there is still less danger from snch an attack, for chanticleer shows all 

 his vigilance and gallantry in protecting his tender offspring, though 

 it frequently happens that the number of hens with broods renders it 

 impossible for him to extend his care to all. When the Crow tries to 

 carry off a gosling from the mother, it requires more daring and skill, 

 and is far less frequently successful than in the former instance. If 

 the gander be in company, which he almost uniformly is, the Crow 

 has his labor in vain. Notwithstanding the advantages of flight and 

 superior cunning, the honest vigilance and determined bravery of the 

 former are too much for him. His attempts to approach, however 

 cautiously conducted, are promptly met, and all his tricks rendered 

 unavailing, by the fierce movements of the gander, whose powerful 

 blows the Crow seems to be well aware might effectually disable him. 

 The first time I witnessed such a scene, I was at the side of a creek and 

 saw on the opposite shore a goose with her goslings beset by a Grow. 

 From the apparent alarm of the mother and brood it seemed to me 

 they must be in great danger, and I called to the owner of the place, 

 who happened to be in sight, to inform him of their situation. Instead 

 of going to their relief, he shouted back to me, to ask if the gander was 

 not there too, and as soon as he was answered in the affirmative he 

 bid me be under no uneasiness, as the Crow would find its match. 

 Nothing could exceed the cool impudence and pertinacity of the Crow, 

 who perfectly regardless of my shouting, continued to worry the poor 

 gander for an hour, by his efforts to obtain a nice gosling for his next 

 meal. At length, convinced of the fruitlessness of his efforts, he flew 

 off to seek some more easily procurable food. Several Crows some- 

 times unite to plunder the goose of her young, and are then generally 

 successful, because they are able to distract the attention of the parents 

 and lure them farther from their young." 



Similar quotations might be made from the writings of other observ- 

 ers, some assuming that the habit is common, or even universal, among 

 crows, others that it is exceptional or confined to a few individuals. It 

 seems probable that the latter view comes nearest the truth, since in 

 many parts of the country the habit does not appear to have been 

 noticed. We have corresponded with several hundred observers, rep- 

 resenting almost every State and Territory in the United States, but in 

 many cases no charges of chicken stealing have been brought against 

 the Crow. The habit of egg stealing seems to be much more general, 

 yet in numerous instances "the reports are entirely from hearsay evi- 

 dence. Unquestionably the Crow is very adroit in his attacks on 

 young poultry, and it is probable that many of his thefts are unknown 

 to the farmer, or are only suspected after frequent repetition. A sin- 

 gle instance of such robbery will persist in a man's mind, and two or 

 three are sufficient to convince the average farmer that the habit is 

 universal. 



