298 
THE BOYS TON, OB HOODED CBOW. 
male and female only being fonnd in company ; but it sometimes chooses to associate in little 
flocks of fifteen or sixteen in number. It seems to prefer the seacoast to any inland locality, 
as it there finds a great variety of food, and is not much exposed to danger. I have often 
seen these birds perching upon the rocks at low water, and searching for food among the 
dank seaweed, and in the rock-puddles that are left by the retreating tide. They seemed 
always extremely bold, and would permit a very close approach without exhibiting any 
alarm. 
The food of the Hooded Crow is almost wholly of an animal nature, and consists of small 
quadrupeds, carrion of every kind, worms, insects, marine animals, and the miscellaneous 
mass of animal substances which are cast up by the tide and left upon shore. Limpets form 
a considerable portion of its food, and are detached from the rock, to which they cling so 
tightly, by an adroit peck and wrench of the bill. Sometimes it is said that the poor Crow is 
not quick enough in its movements, and is held so firmly to the rock by the alarmed limpet, 
that it is retained in that unpleasant position until the returning tide overwhelms both 
mollusk and bird. 
Mussels and cockles are also favorite dainties with the Hooded Crow, which, however, is 
unable to open their tightly-closed shells with its beak, and has recourse to the expedient of 
carrying its prey to a great height in the air, and smashing the shell by letting it fall upon a 
rock. Sometimes its ingenuity has been very ill rewarded by the loss of its dinner, for no 
sooner has the shell struck upon the rock than it is seized and carried off by another Hooded 
Crow which has concealed itself near the spot. As the mussels are often very firmly bound to 
the rock, this ingenious bird employs another mode of breaking their shells. He takes a toler- 
ably large stone in his beak, rises perpendicularly above the mussel bed, drops the stone at 
random upon the black mass of mollusks below, and descends to feed on the bodies of those 
which have been crushed by the missile. 
Not only does the Hooded Crow feed upon such harmless diet as has already been men- 
tioned, but it makes great havoc among small and young birds, and has often been known to 
hover about the shore sportsman, and carry off the dead and wounded birds as they fall to the 
gun. It also haunts the farm-yard when it finds a deficiency of food in the open country, and 
darting among the poultry, kills and carries off young chickens, or breaks and drains the eggs 
on which the hens are sitting. Sickly and very young lambs are also persecuted by this vora- 
cious bird, who goes its rounds among the flocks as regularly as a sentinel, and if its watchful 
eye should discover a lamb or slieeiJ lying on its back in a ditch, is sure to hasten its death 
by punching out its eyes with its long and powerful bill. For these reasons, the Hooded 
Crow is entirely detested by the country people, many of whom are imbued with sundry 
superstitions concerning its origin and object. 
Like many of the same tribe, it is a most annoying neighbor to the larger birds, especially 
those of a rapacious nature, and never can allow a hawk, heron, or owl to pass within ken 
without mobbing it in a very persevering manner. 
The Hooded Crow never breeds in society, but always builds its nest at some distance from 
the homes of any other of the same species, so that, although a forest or a range of cliffs may 
be inhabited by these birds, the nests are scattered very sparingly over the whole extent. The 
structure of the nest is somewhat similar to that of the crows and rooks, being a mass of sticks 
and heather stalks as a foundation, upon which is placed a layer of wool, hair, and other soft 
substances. Sometimes the bird builds a better and more compact nest with the bark of trees ; 
and in all cases this species breeds very early in the season. 
It is said that the Hooded Crow will sometimes breed with the common species, and the 
following curious observations are recorded in the “Field Naturalist,” and quoted by Mr. 
Yarrell in his history of the bird : — 
“For four successive years I have had opportunities of witnessing the pairing of the 
carrion Crow and the Hooded Crow upon some large beech-trees which surrounded my house. 
They never re-occupied the old nest, nor did they always build their nest on the same tree ; 
nor was I positively certain that they were the same individuals who returned every year to 
these trees, though it is probable that they were, for they were never molested. Knowing the 
