720 
BIRD-LIFE. 
nothing eatable comes amiss, though their ideas of what 
may he considered as palatable differ somewhat from 
our own on the subject, and embrace a larger menu. 
They feed on carcasses, whether of their own killing or 
found dead, worms, mollusks, insects, and larvae; they are 
fond of fruits, seeds, berries, grain, nor do they despise 
offal and the refuse from the kitchen. The district over 
which they seek their food is as extended as the latter is 
various. They kill young birds, plunder nests, destroy 
small animals, and beg and steal alike in woods, fields, 
town or country, on land, and in or on the water. Inas¬ 
much as they are not dainty, are blest with strong 
appetites, and that their modes of living are so varied, 
it is evident they can be at the same time very useful 
and very injurious to man; this is indeed the case, 
hut the services rendered by the family collectively by 
far outweigh the damage caused by solitary members of 
the same. 
Those species which may fairly be looked upon as 
injurious, are the Eaven (Corms corax) and the Carrion 
and Hooded Crows (Corvus cor one and Corvus cornix ). The 
first of these, with which we have at present to do, is 
undoubtedly a thorough scoundrel, a sneaking thief, an 
out-and-out rogue, and a hold robber! It kills every 
living creature over which it can get the mastery: hares, 
Pheasants, Partridges, and other game that may he 
wounded, starving or perishing of cold,—all fall victims 
to it; it seizes them, like a bird of prey, with its talons. 
It has a great partiality for young, unprotected lambs, 
Geese, Ducks, and chickens. It sucks eggs with the 
greatest gusto, and is constantly persecuting and harass¬ 
ing fisheries; thus committing, as it does, all these 
crimes, it is not astonishing that its arch enemy is—man. 
