As The Crows Fly
‘IT is not only Prince Charles who is doing his best to make the British monarchy a laughing stock and ensure the fall of the House of Windsor.
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| ‘But does he have to dress up as a Nazi to do it?’ |
A flock of carrion crows are doing their bit as well, by attacking the ravens that guard the Tower of London.
Legend has it that the ravens presence is a guarantee of the continuation of the monarchy. If they leave, the Tower falls and the sovereign with it.
[In reality, the legend is a Victorian invention and, anyway, the ravens were secretly removed to safety during World War II.]
However, the Independent reports that the Towers raven master the beefeater in charge of keeping the ravens in food has launched a fightback against the crows.
As many as 12 crows a week are being shot as they perch in the trees around the Tower, it says.
The secret cull apparently takes place early in the morning before the tourists arrive and is carried out by a Tower sharpshooter with a rifle.
The paper explains that crows and ravens feed on the same food and in recent months hundreds of crows have been flocking to the Tower just as the six ravens are being fed.
A spokesman for Historic Royal Palaces (which runs the Tower) says as many as 200 crows fly in from south London every morning.
If we dont keep them at a certain level, there is concern about the multiplication of their numbers, he says.
Every Sunday, the raven master goes out at 6am and spends a couple of hours. He has a .22 air rifle. The most he has ever got in one day is 12.
If only all such threats to the future of our monarchy were so easily dealt with.
…eight, nine, ten. Okay, Camilla, were coming to get you…’
Posted: 28th, February 2005 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
