240 
CORVUS CORONE. 
superior strength and rapacity of the great owl, whoi’^ 
weapons of offence are by far the more formidable o’ 
the two.* 
* “A few year^f ago,” says an obliging correspomlent, “ ^ 
resi(Ie<l on the banks or the Hmison, about seven miles from tb® 
city of New York. Not far from the place of my residence was * 
pretty thick wood or swamp, in wliioh great numbers of crows, wb^ 
used to cross the river from the opposite shore, were accustomed 
to roost. Returning buinewanl one afternoon, from a shooting 
excursion, I bud occasion to pass tlmnigb this swamp, It 
near sunset, and troops of crows were flying in all directions ovcf 
my head. While engaged in observing their flight, aud endeJ' 
vouring to select from among them an obji'ct to shoot at, my 
were suddenly Jissailed by tlie distressfnl cries of a crow, who 
evidently struggling under the talons oJ' a merenesM and rapaci<»’J^ 
enemy. I hastened to the spot whence the sounds proceeded, mi’b 
to my great surprise, fouml a crow lying on the ground, 
expiring, ami seate<l upon the body of the yet warm and blccdi”0 
quarry, a large, brown owl, who wiv* beginning to make a nn’^ 
of the unfortunate robber of corn fields. Perceiving my approach’ 
he forsook his prey with eviflent reluctance, and flew into a 
at a little distance, where he sat watching all my movement^’ 
alternately regarding, with longing eyes, the victim he had bcc® 
forced to leave, aud darting at me no veiy frienilly looks, th*' 
seemed to reproach me for liavltig deprived him of his expects 
regale. I confess that the scene before me was altogether noV^ 
and surprising. I am but little conversant with natural histoO | 
but I had always understood, that the depredations of the a'' 
were coufined to the smaller binls and animals of the lesser kin' ’ 
such us mice, young rabbits, &c. and that he obtained his p’'®' 
rather by fraud and stratagem, than by ojieii rapacity and violei^^^' 
I was the more confirmed in this belief, from the recollection ot 
passage in 3Iucbeth, whieb now forcibly occurred to my mcniny’ 
— The courtiers of King Duncan are recounting to each other 
various prodigies that preceded his death, and one of them relate 
to his wondering auditors, that 
All eagle, towering in his pride of place, 
Was by a ■nunuting owl, luiwk’d at and kiU’d. 
But to resume my rclatiou — That the owl was the murderer of 
unfortunate crow, there couhl be no doubt. No other bird of PV. 
was in sight j I had not tired my gun since I entered the 'V'f 
nor heard any one else shoot : besides, the unequivocal j,y 
which 1 found the parties, woubl have been sufficient before 
‘ twelve good men and true,’ or a jury of crows, to have convH 
him of his guilt. It is proper to ariif, that I aveugtKl the 
the hapless crow, by a well aimed shot at the felonious robber, ^ 
extended him breathless on the ground.” 
