522 CROW BLACKBIRD CROWN mon in their search for ticks, the creature lies still, grateful for the expected riddance of the vermin. Finally the crow looks into the eyes ; then the animal, if able to defend itself, re- moves the dangerous friend by a shake of the head ; but if the eyes be dun from disease or wounds, the crow perceives it, and plunges its powerful bill into the eyeball of the sufferer, and feasts upon its favorite morsel ; the rest soon join, and attack the parts giving easiest access to the entrails. The hooded crow of Ceylon, like the other mentioned in Layard's "Ornithology of Ceylon," lives amid the den- sest populations, stealing everything eatable that comes in his way ; if the spread table be left for a moment, the marks of feet upon the cloth and bills in the butter, and the disappear- ance of small bits, show that the robbers could not have been far off. They are useful scav- engers, and are rarely molested by the natives, of whom they stand in no fear ; but at the ap- pearance of the white man with his gun, the whole corvine community is in an uproar, and flies hurriedly to a safe distance. CROW BLACKBIRD. See GRAKLE. CROWE, Catharine (STEVENS), an English au- thoress, born at Borough Green, Kent, about 1800. She. married in 1822 Lieut. Col. Crowe of the royal army, and began her literary ca- reer in 1838 by the publication of a tragedy entitled " Aristodemus." Adopting a more popular style of composition, she soon after published a novel called "Manorial Rights," which was succeeded by the " Adventures of Susan Hopley." The latter was marked espe- cially by a rapid succession of various inci- dents, and was reproduced in dramatic form. Her third novel, "Lilly Dawson," appeared in 1847, and was designed to show the influence of the affections upon the development of the intellect. In 1848 she translated from the German of Kerner the "Seeress of Prevorst;" and being thus introduced to the study of ani- mal magnetism, she afterward published seve- ral tales, some of them of a fantastic character, containing incidents and observations with ref- erence to the supernatural world and to dark points of experience. " The Night Side of Na- ture" (1848) was a skilful effort to awaken an interest in the whole doctrine of spirits. Among her other publications are " Pippie's Warning," "Light and Darkness, or the Mys- teries of Life," " The Adventures of a Beauty," and "Linny Lockwood." Of late years she has been a contributor to periodical literature. CROWE, Eyre Evans, an English historian, born about 1799, died Feb. 25, 1868. For many years he followed the profession of a journalist in London, writing for the " Morn- ing Chronicle," "Examiner," and "Daily News," chiefly on continental affairs. His principal works are : " Lives of Foreign States- men" (1830), "The Greek and the Turk" (1853), "Reigns of Louis XVIII. and Charles X." (1854), and "History of France" (5 vols., 1858-'68). CROWN (Lat. corona), a wreath-shaped or circular covering for the head, made either of leaves and flowers or of metals and precious stones, and worn as a decoration or honorable distinction. The legends of the Greeks attrib- uted its invention to Prometheus or Janus, and the earliest Greek crowns were worn chiefly on festive occasions, and were twined of twigs of the tree or plant sacred to the divinity who presided over the festival. They rarely con- tained more than a single kind of leaves or flow- ers, as the ivy, myrtle, roses, violets, or lilies. The ivy was in especial esteem on Bacchanalian occasions, since it was believed to be a preven- tive of drunkenness. Circular garlands were common ornaments also for priests, altars, EOMAN CROWNS. 1. Corona obsidionalis. 2. Civic Crown. 8. Naval Crown. 4. Mural Crown. 5. Corona castrensis. 6. Triumphal Crown. 7. Myrtle Crown (corona ovalis). 8. Olive Crown (corona oleagina). temples, graves, and sacrificial offerings. At the national games, a crown was the reward of the victors. It was made of wild olive for the Olympic heroes; of laurel for the Pythian ; of olive, and afterward parsley, for the Nemean ; and of pine for the Isthmian. The Romans gave crowns to the conquer- ors in the circus, and to the best actor at the theatre. They also invented a great variety of crowns, made of different materials, each with a separate name, which were bestowed in honor especially of military achievements. The corona obsidionalis was presented by besieged cities or armies to the general who delivered them ; it conferred the highest honor, was rarely ob-
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