The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-08-26

y stranger arriving in India is at once in
troduced to two of the greatest curiosities OF
the country. As his vessel slowly seams up
the Hooghly, and almost before the Custom
House officer had come on board, her rigging
has been invaded by at least one kite and two
or more crows, all busily overhauling the
deck and scanning from aloft every nook and
corner thereof with Il keen eve to No. l.
Should any uncovered dish be incautiously
conveyed from the galley to the saloon, its
contents run a strong chance of being swoop.
ed off by kite, and any droppings of food
are as certainly pounceG upon by crow
Leaving the vessel the new arrival loses
sight temporarily Of the kites; but on reach
ing his quarters he is certain to re.encounter
the crow, absolutely certain; wherever he
subsequently travels there he will find this
amusing and omniprestnt bird, and from the
| first he cannot fail TO notice and be amused
by its audacious antics. On the morning af
ter his arrival let us imagine HIM seated in
the verapda, discussing his first chOta hasree
| literally small breakfast" a light and early
meal universally taken in India No soon
er are the viands placed before HIM than he
will see two or three crows alighting on the
veranda rails. Ignorant as yet of their tao
tics he will quietly discuss his buttered toast,
and perhaps introduce himself to the birds
by throwing them little fragments thereof
Greedily deyouring the inch they quiet pre-.
pare to take the ell. Something calls him
away for moment and he returns to find the
thieves retreating with his toast or egg, and
he sits down highly amused at their impu.
denCe.
Perhaps this scene occurs in his room, all
the Venetian shutters of which are wide open
AS he sits down to his meal he will sec crow
sitting on the top of the Venetian and peer.
ing sideways and curiously into the Ioom
and should he for a moment leave the table he
only returns to find his toast and the crow
gone together.
Everything is fish that comes to the nets of
these pillagers. They will plumber alike the
stall of the Junya dealer in grains and -four
or the butcher; they will gorge on sweet.
meats or pilfer fruit; and eagerly will they
tap the toddy pots hanging from the top of
the palm; while with still greater gusto they
will revel on the white ant when it swarms
into the air as perfect winged insect at the
of the rains. They will plum.
der the nosebags of horses, remain in close
attendance on the kitchen, carry of young
chickens from the fowl-yard, devour straw.
berries and tomatoes, await the daily shak.
ings of the tablecloth, or carry off greasy
buster, and, in shCrt, be in constant readiness |
TO carry oil anything and everything. They
generally get the first pickings of carrlon, and
are always to be seen in the company of vul-
lures when engaged in their sanatory opera
tons. | have seen crow deliberately sit on |
the back of gorging vplture, and try to pull
out of his beak choice bit of carron, the |
vulture being quite at the mercy of his agile |
tormcntor. Frogs, the young of birds Except
OF their own kind for there is honor among
thieves y, nice, weak rats, and small and
"a lA n II
young of the squirrel, are eagerly carried off
and devoured
Though possessed of such bad character,
the crow is universally tolerated as a comic
pest, amusing alike to native and European
-ChdmberS J0ulual