THE CROW A PREDATORY BIRD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1687, 29 June 1904, Page 35 (Supplement)

THE CROW A PREDATORY BIRD.

A correspondent of “Nature Notes” says:— The crow tribe kill and devour birds, full-grown or otherwise, whenever they get the chance. In severe weather crows may be seen pursuing little starving; birds that are weakened by hunger. I once noticed a wounded partridge with difficulty keeping pace with the movements of the covey. As it lagged behind a grey crow attempted to attack it, and was kept off by the others. I have seen a jay pursue a young bird on the wing, force it to take refuge in the grass, and there kill and devour it. Rooks eat the young of larks and other birds that nest in the open. Jackdaws rarely pay me a visit, but when they do it is generally to make a raid on the nest of some other bird. Last year a jackdaw destroyed a nest of young missel-thrushes that were about a week old, in my garden. lam always sorry to see them on my premises, their proper place being on the church tower and in the open field.

According to a report from Montreal, a natural ioap mine has been discovered in the foothills near Ashcroft, British Columbia. A company has been formed to work it, and nearly 275 tons have been taken out. The composition of the soap seems to be about one-fifth borax. It is said that there are 20.000 tons of the material in sight.