244 
CORVUS COROXE. 
been observed to fall clown in the fields, and on the 
roads, exhausted with cold and hunger. In one of 
these winters, and during a long continued deep snow, 
more than six hundred crows were shot on the carcass 
of a dead horse, which was placed at a proper distance 
from the stable, from a hole of which the discharges 
were made. The premiums awarded for these, with the 
2)rice paid for the quills, produced nearly as much as the 
origiual value of the horse, besides, as the man himself 
as.sured me, saving feathers sufficient for filling a bed. 
The crow is easily raised and domesticated ; and it 
is only when thus rendered unsuspicious of, and placed 
on terms of familiarity ivith, man, that the true traits 
of his genius and native di.sposition fuUy develop them- 
selves. Ill this state he soon learns to distinguish all 
the members of the family; flies toirards the gate, 
screaming, at the approach of a stranger ; learns to open 
the door by alighting on the latch; attends regularly 
at the stated hours of dinner and breakfast, ivliich be 
appears punctually to recollect; is extremely noisy 
and locpiacious ; imitates the sound of variou-s w'ords 
pretty distinctly ; is a great thief and hoarder of curio- 
sities, hiding in holes, corners, and crevices, every loose 
article he can carry off, particularly small pieces of 
metal, corn, bread, and food of all kinds ; is fond of the 
society of his master, and will know him even after 
a long absence, of which the following is a remarkable 
iustaiuie, and may be relied on as a fact : A very worthy 
gentleman, now [1811] living in the Gennesee country, 
but who, at the time alluded to, re.sidcd on the Dela- 
vv.we, a few miles below Easton, had raised a crow, 
wdth whoso tricks and society he used frequently to 
aniuse himself. This crow lived long in the tamilv; 
bnt at length disappeared, having, as was then supposed, 
been shot by some vagrant gunner, or destroyed by 
accident. About eleven months after this, as the Gentle- 
man, one raorniiiG, in company wfith several others, was 
standing on the river shore, a number of crows happen- 
ing to pass by, one of them left the flock, and flyinii 
directly towards the company, alighted on the gentle- 
