CROW. 
239 
* person approaching, he gives the alarm, when both 
’JJale and female retire to a distance till the intruder 
aas gone past. He also regularly carries food to his 
•ttate, while she is sitting ; occasionally relieves her ; 
»nd when she returns, again resigns his post. At this 
JjTOe, also, as well as until the young are able to fly, 
^hey preserve uncommon silence, that their retreat may 
‘'ot be suspected. 
It is in the month of May, and until the middle of 
ji'ine, that the crow is most destructive to tlie corn 
“'aids, digging up the newly planted grains of maize, 
pulling up by the roots those that have begun to 
^®gct.atc, and thus frequently obliging the farmer to 
J'Splant, or lose the benefit of the soil ; and this some- 
‘*hies twice, and even three times, occasioning a consi- 
^rahle additional expense, and inequality of harvest, 
^o mercy is now shewn him. The myriads of worms. 
Joules, mice, caterpillars, grubs, and beetles, which he 
destroyed, are altogether overlooked on these 
'Occasions. Detected in robbing the hens’ nests, pulling 
^P the corn, and killing the young chickens, he is 
j^Usidered as an outlaw, and sentenced to destruction. 
"Ut the great difficulty is, how to put this sentence in 
^ecution. In vain the gunner skulks along the hedges 
u fences ; his faithful sentinels, planted on some com- 
®uding point, raise the alarm, and disappoint vengeance 
'ts object. The coast again clear, he returns once 
^*"0 in silence to finish the repast he had begini. 
^•Uptimes he approaches the farm house by stealth, in 
^ui’ch of young chickens, which he is in the habit of 
J^utehing off, w'hou he can elude the vigilance of the 
pother hen, who often proves too formidable for him. 
.lew days ago, a crow was observed eagerly attempting 
f ®eize some young chickens in an orchard, near the 
where I write ; but these clustering close round 
; ® I'en, she resolutely defended them, drove the crow 
an apple tree, whither she instantly pursued him 
‘th such spirit and intrepidity, that he was glad to 
a speedy retreat, and abandon his design, 
fhe crow himself sometimes tails a prey to the 
