corvid.t:. 195 



devour fleshy fisli^ mollusca, grubs, insects, gTaius, 

 seeds, and other animal and vegetable substances. 

 Wlien searching for food, they betake themselves to 

 open places, walk in a sedate manner, keep a good 

 look-out, and on the slightest appearance of danger 

 fly off to a distance. Their flight is steady, mode- 

 rately rapid, and performed by regular beats. Their 

 cry varies from a hoarse croak to a caw or chatter, 

 and none of them, with the exception perhaps of 

 the Piping Crows, can be called musical. They 

 nestle in high places, trees, towers, buildings of 

 various kinds, or rocks, and produce from three to 

 nine eggs, which are deposited very early in the 

 season. They repose at night in similar retreats, and 

 when alarmed by day generally betake themselves 

 to heights. Some species are gregarious, others are 

 unsocial, the latter being the most carnivorous. 

 They are all easily tamed, and may be taught to 

 imitate the human voice, so as to produce a few 

 articulate sounds. 



To this family belong the Piping Crows, the 

 Jays, the Tree Crows, the Crows, the Fruit Crows, 

 and the Choug'hs. 



