530 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 



Trenton, about the Delaware, but no nests have been found. 

 Their larger size, and loose, lace-like feathers of the neck, dis- 

 tinguish them from ' crows.' " 



C/americanus, Aud. (frugivorus, Bartr.) American Crow. 



Feathers of throat short, broad, with their webs blended ; 

 gloss of plumage purplish violet; head and neck hardly lus- 

 trous. Length, 20 inches ; tail, 7 J inches. . 



"Resident. Abundant. Crows are so numerous that from 

 this fact alone they are supposed to be thoroughly understood 

 by every one; in reality they are misunderstood and misjudged 

 by nearly every one. Crows build in March, in tall trees, and 

 raise generally two broods, the second leaving the nest in June. 

 During the spring they are troublesome, on account of a habit 

 of removing the lately-planted corn, but if any one will take 

 the trouble to kill a crow after feeding on the corn, and examine 

 the contents of the crop, he will find a large number of worms 

 therein, and the corn that they have eaten, worm-eaten. Corn 

 washed with coal-tar before being planted is always undisturbed, 

 but the crows frequent the fields as numerously as ever, now 

 carrying off worms only. Were this generally done, the crows 

 now so persistently shot at would be soon appreciated and pro- 

 tected. Grows destroy annually many bushels of grain in the 

 State, and at the same time destroy many millions of noxious 

 worms. If these were left undisturbed, a thousand-fold more 

 grain would be destroyed. During the summer, autumn and 

 winter, crows are emphatically omnivorous, feeding upon what- 

 ever may come in their way. In very shallow water they gather 

 mussels, and letting them drop from a height, they break the 

 shells and devour the animal." 



C. oesifragus, Wils. (maritimus, Bartr.) Fish Crow. 



Gloss of plumage green and violet, evident on head and neck. 

 Length, 16 inches; tail, 7 inches. 



" Not abundant on the coast and very seldom seen inland. 

 They are smaller than the common crow and have a rather more 

 musical 'caw.' They feed upon fish, crabs and the debris of 

 the beach, and are very inoffensive. During some seasons they 

 are more numerous than others." 



