The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-03-24
BIRD LAW.
Curious Instances Of Its Administra.
~ tom. "a .&s

SAOl01H0HStER0
ton.
The Rev. DIR. j. Edmund Cox. in q
letter written some time since to an En-
gllsh newspaper, gave the particulars of
9 trial by rocks which he witnessed be-
tween fifty and sixty ears ago. He was
riding along a quiet road in the vicinity
OF Norwich, when he was startled BY
sounds OF an extraordinary commotion
among the inhabitants of an adjacent
rookery. Securing his horse to gate,
ne cautiously crawled, for hundred
1eet or SO, to gap in the hedge Of q
grass field, to investigate proceedings.
A trial by jury was going on. The
criminal rock at first appeared verv
perky and jaunty, although encircled by
about forty or fifty Of an evidently i,
dlgnant sable fraternity, and assailed
by the necessarily vehement cawing Of
an outer ring, consisting of many hun
dreds, each and al showing even great
er indignation than was manifested bv
the more select number. Some crime
or other had evidently been committed
against rock law" Even the scouts. al
though lowering about Ia all directions.
were SO deeply absorbed in the judicial
proceedings that they failed to notice
their unlimited spectator. After short
time, the manner of the accused was
seen suddenly and completely to change:
his head bowed, his wings dropped. and
he cawed family, as if imploring mercy.
1t was useless; his sentence had been
passed, and was irrevocable. The inner
circle closed in upon him and pecked
him to pieces in a few moments. leaving
nothing but mangled carcass. Judg-
ment executed, the whole assembly set
up a tremendous screaming and dis
persed--some seeking the ad jacent rock
cry, but the greater number flying away
across the fields. DR.. Cox, upon picking
up the remains of the hapless sscrin1,
inal, " was able to discern that it was a
male bird. Whether the offender in
this case had been convicted of theft. or
of a crime Of even deeper dive. it is of
course impossible to say; but it is com
monty known that rocks are addicted to
pilfering, and that if the robbery is de-
tected-as it almost always seems to be
the offender is punished. It has been
noticed that young rocks will often pill
fer twigs or other useful materials from
the nests of their elders, with which to
build their own domiciles quickly and
although they are too cunning to be-
caught in the act, only committing their
thetts when both the owners of the nest
are absent, the robbery seems always to
get known. When the crime has been
discovered and proved, eight or ten
rocks are apparently deputed to act on
behalf OF the whole community thew
proceed to the convict's nest, and in q
few moments scatter it to the winds.
Similar judicial proceedings are known
to be proper to the raven and an inter
esting account of raven trial was com
municated by well-known Alpine tour
ist to the leading journal OF Geneva, last
summer. During an excursion in the
Swiss mountains, he accidentally came
upon small, secluded glen, which was
surrounded by trees and, not having
done anything to reveal his presence, he
became the unexpected witness of sin
gular spectacle. About sixty or seventy
ravens were ranged in a ring round ore
Of their fellows, evidently reputed Gull
prlt, and, with much clatter of tongues
and wings were engaged in discussing
his alleged delinquencies. At intervals
they paused in their debate in order to
permit the accused to reply, which ne
did most vociferously and with intense
energy but all his expostulations were
speedily drowned in a deafening chorus
OF dissent. Eventually the court APP
pears to have arrived at the unanimous
conclusion that the felon had utterly
failed to exculIate himself; and they
suddenly few at him from all sides. and
tore him to pieces with their powerful
beaks. Having executed their sentence,
they speedily disappeared, leaving the
mangled corpse of the unfortunate bird
as warning to all evil-doers.