Show 1 A r M V M W v 1 ii T AA N W tz U W SN 45 4 tf wl az a k 1 1 77 INA 4 I 1 I 1 TH THE E BLACK PRINCE HAS humar HUMAN HUI characteristics TICS I 1 s sentence a go ater one ahls gunt cant ato I 1 ined xury to the th aspects spectator to tn aten code cod of HERE W was IL time when the crow was w regarded as a veritable veria buck black prince A among a zu 0 n 9 ceylon birds the crow may mat be a gross graw feeder at times but habitually he is a clearl clean feeder saya the colombo all period was it not on account of the act ewt thu that our oar feathered friend was mainly instrumental in the of the undigested gestL d seed rf the cinnamon plant that a law was daveed cassed forbidding the killing of IL a crow arder the severest penalties most of the stories which are related of the sagacity capacity of the crow and of his bis power ot of acting in concert with othera are afe so BO credible that I 1 almost fear to compromise my character for veracity by wp eating them for instance crows V tore lawe boon been known to undo a paper pared parcel in order to pry into its cout contents to untie the knot of a napkin inclosing provi provisions sims to remove the peg by which the lid of a basket was fastened down always with some unhallowed object in view to hunt in couples after a brood of chicks one diverting the attention of the hen mother by repeated feints in one direction while the other made off with the coveted prey etc that they have a language ot their own though undistinguishable to our ears cars by which they readily communicate intelligence give warning secure c assistance mi stance and combine to not act in a definite way Is only too evident point but a gun at a crow and the warning cry of gare gare or something similar la Is at once raised from the nearest outpost and echoed and re echoed from every tree for miles around and for many a long day that spot will be carefully shunned by every crow in the neighborhood put a substitute a stick crutch or broom for a gun and he will laugh you in the face and positively call his fel fellows lowis to come and defy you ath taunts and yells of derisive laughter the most notable instance however which I 1 have seen of thelt their power of acting in concert and apparently after due deliberation was what I 1 witnessed on a certain occasion of the proceedings ce of an immense multitude of crows and which had all the semblance of an open air criminal court or rather rathar of the summary mode of trial and exe execution cation pursued by vigilance committees under the sanction of lynch law it was at noon and I 1 was driving past the colombo esplanade esp lande when my attention was drawn to a gathering gatherine of the crow dan clan in large numbers they appeared to come from froan the east and the west from the north and the south simultaneously and for the most part silently lem Itly perched on the branches of come large trees which stood at a distance tance gad end occupying irregular but commanding positions along the seaside were stationed certain noisier isler brethren apparently engaged on sentinel duty but cawing their eternal aban chaa a vehemence and energy enemy which to denote some occurrence of snore man than ordinary import perhaps like the oye oye of the town crier their hoarse monotonous cries were a cummons to all good citizens to assemble forthwith in the interests of p public justice jum presently there was waa a sort of an arrangement of the black forces serried ranks formed a kind of square all the birds hopping on the ground save those on outpost duty till the greensward presented almost a funereal appearance while in the center under the custody of some special constables an unfortunate crow culprit was care fully guarded not without sundry pecks and raps on the head bead and other reminders peculiar to the force there was a brief silence while the president of the tribunal appeared to be asking the prisoner simer if he could show cause use why sentence should not be passed on hiza him caws enough be nad had poor fellow but bat the formula was unmeaning as in many a higher tribunal his case was prejudiced and without waiting for a reply he was ordered to be drummed out of the ranks banio banished ned outlawed que je the sentence vs recel received ted with acclamation there was a universal clamor and uprising into the ift I 1 looked round for the victim he ba was running the crow OT or deal for life he rose was pecked at ty a number of ats fellows struggled fiercely and got off only to bo pursued by others who hurled him down with beak and claw then on his back grimly y facing his assailants he fought despe desperately tor for bare life onoe once again rk he was successful and this time an la he osela thi the air with is a rapid wing he distanced his pursuers and was waa goon lost to view what his ultimate fate was MW I 1 do not fotr know but the whole affair interested te Ae me a greatly whit what po possible p he have committed the ithe 5 wretch who a iad had sinned the im Written code of crow aw I 1 uw saw a asoula eater k ald could conceive on ad ve 0 ofte of fzli te his wildest ilag binm nl ngor or a colony of escaped convicts new |