84 
CROW. 
evening’ assembly and reascension in the morning, and the 
depredations they commit in the immediate neighbourhood of 
this great resort, are almost incredible. Whole fields of com 
are sometimes laid waste by thousands alighting on it at once* 
with appetites whetted by the fast of the preceding night ; and 
the utmost vigilance is unavailing to prevent, at least, a partial 
destruction of this their favourite grain. Like the stragglers 
of an immense, undisciplined, and rapacious army, they spread 
themselves over the fields, to plunder and destroy wherever 
they alight. It is here that the character of the Crow is 
universally execrated ; and to say to the man who has lost his 
crop of corn by these birds, that Crows are exceedingly useful 
for destroying vermin, would be as consolatory as to tell him 
who had just lost his house and furniture by the flames, that 
fires are excellent for destroying bugs. 
The strong attachment of the Crows to this spot may be 
illustrated by the following circumstance : Some years ago, 
a sudden and violent northeast storm came on during the night, 
and the tide, rising to an uncommon height, inundated the 
whole island. The darkness of the night, the suddenness and 
violence of the storm, and the incessant torrents of rain that 
fell, it is supposed, so intimidated the Crows, that they did 
not attempt to escape, and almost all perished. Thousands of 
them were next day seen floating in the river ; and the wind, 
shifting to the northwest, drove their dead bodies to the Jersey 
side, where for miles they blackened the whole shore. 
This disaster, however, seems long ago to have been 
repaired ; for they now congregate on the Pea Patch in as 
immense multitudes as ever.* 
* The following is extracted from a late number of a newspaper printed 
in that neighbourhood : — 
“ The farmers of Red Lion Hundred held a meeting at the village of St 
George’s, in the state of Delaware, on Monday the 6tli inst. to receive proposals 
of John Deputy, on a plan for banishing or destroying the Crows. Mr 
Deputy’s plan being heard and considered, was approved, and a committee 
appointed to contract with him, and to procure the necessary funds to carry 
the same into effect. Mr Deputy proposes, that for five hundred dollars he 
