western and northern parts of Scotland, in th e Hebrides, the
Orkney and Shetland Islands, this bird is' resident throughout
the year; and Mr. Selby observes, that “ as he has been
assured, from the-most authentic information,: that in those
districts of Scotland where theyabound, there' is no visible
diminution of their numbers during the winter months,’’ the
inference seems to be that the greater part of those which
visit England come from Sweden, Norway, and other countries
situated to the north-east, this opinion being strengthened
by "the fact of their generally arriving with the first
flight of Woodcocks, whieh birds always take advantage
of a north-eastern breeze for their journey. The Hooded
Crows, on their appearance in this country,- frequent marshes
near the sea, the banks and shores of tide rivers, inhabiting
both sides of the Thames as high up as within a few miles of
London; and when inland these' birds frequent champagne
countries and open downs.
More than two are seldom seen associated, except when
food is to be obtained; and so destructive are these Hooded
Crows to young lambs, eggs, or poultry, that in the Orkney
and Shetland Islands, where they are numerous,, rewards at
the rate of two' pence for every Crow were paid by the local-
authorities up to so late a period as the year 1885, in consequence
of which many were annually destroyed. On the
coast-they feed upon sand-worms, shell-fish, and almost" any »
marine production. Mr. Selby says/-4-4 I have repeatedly
observed one of these birds to. soai? up to a considerable
height in the air, with a cockle or mussel in. its bill, and then
drop it upon the rock, in order to obtain the included fish.”
Dr. Fleming, in his Philosophy of Zoology^- considers instinct,
in this degree, as bordering closely upon intelligence,
as implying -a notion of power, and also of "cause and effect.
May not such an act be- referred to knowledge gained by
experience ?
When removed from the vicinity of the sea shore, or the
banks of tide rivers, these birds seek the same sort of food as
the Carrion Crow, preferring animal substance of any kind,
seldom resorting to any vegetable production unless driven to
it by stem necessity. Their Voice' is more shrill than that
of the Carrion Crow ; but they.are said to vary their tone
occasionally, producing two cries, the one hoarse,/thé other
sharp.
|-S o numerous are these birds on sorne of the western islands
of'Scotland, that a flock of them were seen feeding on shellfish
omthe east coast of Jura, after a violent storm, which did
not •; contain, less than five, hundred, and not a single black
Crow amOtfg them. Mr.- Salmon, » in his.1 observations made
during three weeks’ sojourn iti Orkney, says/44 We found the
Hooded Crow in tolerable plenty ; no.t associating. together
in communities, but; like the Crow, preferring to'build, their
nests_ separately. These are placed among the rocks, and
upon the Sides of the deep chasms that are ; to., be found upon
th@|gides~©€ the hills ; generally upon the ledge of a rock;
among the overhanging heather. | The outside of the .nest is
composed of withered heather, and large roots or stalks, and
it is lined with wool and hair. In; onê neét that we looked
into, we found three young: ones, and they were almost in
full plumage, which had precisely the same colours as that of
their parents.’’ Mr. Hunt, of Norwich, ;in his History of
British Birds,, says- he; was. told ;by good authority that a pair
of thèse birds had built a nest,- and reared their young,
during the season of 1816 in the, neighbourhood of King’s
Lynn. This is thee oîily notice I am acquainted with of this,
bird having bred so' far south in England.
Mr. W. C. Williamson, Curator to the Natural History
Society, Manchester, in his notes dp. the appearance of rare
Birds in the vicinity of Scarborôugh, as printed in the Proceedings
of the Zoological Society for the year 1886, says;