Chap. VIII.] 



CROWS. 



255 



the moment when his head was turned to carry off the 

 knife. 



One of these ingenious marauders, after vainly atti- 

 tudinising in front of a chained watch-dog, that was 

 lazily gnawing a bone, and after fruitlessly endeavouring 

 to divert his attention by dancing before him, with 

 head awry and eye askance, at length flew away for 

 a moment, and returned bringing a companion which 

 perched itself on a branch a few yards in the rear. The 

 crow's grimaces were now actively renewed, but with no 

 better success, till its confederate, poising itself on its 

 wings, descended with the utmost velocity, striking the 

 dog upon the spine with all the force of its strong beak. 

 The ruse was successful ; the dog started with surprise 

 and pain, but not quickly enough to seize his assailant, 

 whilst the bone he had been gnawing was snatched away 

 by the first crow the instant his head was turned. Two 

 well-authenticated instances of the recurrence of this 

 device came within my knowledge at Colombo, and 

 attest the sagacity and powers of communication and 

 combination possessed by these astute and courageous 

 birds. 



On the approach of evening the crows near Colombo 

 assemble in noisy groups along the margin of the fresh- 

 water lake which surrounds the fort on the eastern side; 

 and here for an hour or two they enjoy the luxury of 

 throwing the water over their shining backs, and arrang- 

 ing their plumage decorously, after which they disperse, 

 each taking the direction of his accustomed quarters for 

 the night. 1 



# 1 A similar habit has been no- daily resort at the same hour to 

 ticed in the damask Parrots of their accustomed pools to bathe. 

 Africa (Palceornis fuscus), which 



