Encyclopaedia Americana: a popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, brought down to the present time : including a copious collection of original articles in American biography : on the basis of the seventh edition of the German Conversations-Lexicon (Volume 4).

Date:: 1830-33

Credit: Encyclopaedia Americana: a popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, brought down to the present time : including a copious collection of original articles in American biography : on the basis of the seventh edition of the German Conversations-Lexicon (Volume 4). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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$53 CROW—CROVv'N. agine to be intended for the direction and encouragement of their offspring. The most successful mode of destroying crows, is that of uivading them in their extensive dormitories during tlie night. When they have selected a pine thicket, or other dense juece of wood, for a roosting place, they repair thitlier with great regularity. Every evening, vast flocks come sailing to the retreat, and the trees are hterally covered and bowed down. When the state of Maryland received crow scalps ui pay- ment of taxes, at three cents each, parties were frequently made to attack the crow roosts. Gunners were stationed at various parts, suiTOunding the roosts, and all those of one division fired at once; the slaughter ■was necessarily dreadful, and those re- maining unhurt, bewildered by the dark- ness, the flashuig and report of the guns, and the distressing cries of their compan- ions, flew but to a little distance, and set- tled near another party of gunners. As soon as they were fairly at rest, the same tragedy was reacted and repeated, until the approach of day or the fatigue of their destroyere caused a cessation. The wounded were then despatched by knock- ing them on tlie head or wringing their necks, and the bill, with so much of the skull as pa-ssed for a scalp, was cut off and strung for the payment of the tax- gatherer. The poor people, who had no taxes to pay, disposed of their crow scalps to the store-keepers, who purchased them at rather a lower rate. This premium has long been discontinued, and the number of these maraudei-s is, in many parts of that state, quite large enough to require its reestabiishment. Crown. In the early ages, when men were fond of expressing all their leelings by outward signs, a wreath of flowers or leaves was naturally one of the fii-sf em- blems of honor or of joy. Such was the ornament of the j)riest in the perfonnance of sacrifice, of the hero on his return from victory, of the bride at her nuptials, and of the guests at a feast. The ancient my- tholog}', which gave every thing a distinct beginning and a poetical origin, ascribes the invention of wreaths to Prometheus, who imitated, with flowers, the fetters which he had borne for his love to man- kind, whom lie had created. According to Pliny, wreaths were first made of ivy, nnd Bacchus first w^ore them. In process of time, they were made of veiy thfferent materials. Those worn by the Greeks at feasts in honor of a divinity, were made of the flowers of the plant consecrated to the god. Wreaths of roses afterwards became very common. In some case?, wreaths were even made of wooL Wreaths of i\7 and amethyst were worn, by the Greeks, on the head, neck and breast, at entertainments, with a view to ])revent dmnkenness. Mnesithcus and Callimachus, two Greek physicians, wote entire books on wreaths, and their medi- cal virtues. Corpses were covered with wTeaths and green branches. Lovers adorned with wreaths and flowers the dooi-s of their mistresses, and even cap- tives, who were to be sold as slaves, wore wreaths; hence the phrase sub corona ve- nire or vendere. The beasts sacrificed to the gods were also crowned. Wreaths, in process of time, were made of metal, in imitation of flowers, or of the fillet which the priest wore round his head when he sacrificed, which was called iiairifta. This attribute of distinction was early adopted by die kings, when they united in their persons die temporal and spiritual power. Among the various crowns and wreaths in use among the Greeks and Romans, were the following: Corona (tgonothetarum; the reward of the victor in the great gymnastic games. Corona aurea (the golden crown); the reward of remarkable bravery. Corona castrensis; given to him who fii-st entered the camp of the enemy. Corona civica (see Civic Crown); one of the highest military rewards. It was given to him who had saved die life of a citizen. Corona convivalis; the wreath worn at feasts. Corona muralis; given by the general to the soldier who first scaled the enemy's wall. Corona natcditia; a wreath which pa- rents hung up before the door at the birth of a child. It was made of olive-branches if the child was a boy, and of wool if a girl- Corona navalii, the next in rank after the civic crown, was given to him who fii-st boarded and took an enemy's vessel Corona nuptialis; a cro^vn or wreath worn by brides. The bridegroom, also, and his relations, on die day of the wed- ding, adorned themselves with wreaths. At first, the corona nuptialis was of flow- ers; afterwards, of gold or silver and pre- cious stones. Corona ohsidionalis; a reward given to him who delivered a besieged town, or a blockaded army. It was one of the high- est military honore, and very seldom ob- tained. It was made of grass; if possible, of such as grew on the delivered place. Corona triumphalis; a wreath of laurel$

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