14 



THE NORTHWEST CROW. 



"The sea-coast is abandoned when the l>reeding time arrives early in 

 Mav, when tliev resort in pairs to the interior : selecting a patch of open prairie, 

 wliere there are streams and lakes and where the wild crab apple and white- 

 thorn grows, in wliicli thev Imild nests precisely like that of the Magpie, arched 

 cn-er the top with sticks. The l)ir(l enters by a hole on one side but leaves by 

 an exit hole in the opposite. The inside is plastered with mud ; a few- grass 

 stalks strewn looselv ou the bottom keep the eggs from rolling. This is so 

 marked a difference to the Barking Crow"s nesting ["Barking Crow" is J. K. 

 L.'s solecism for the Western Crow, C. b. Iicspcris]. as in itself to be a specific 

 distinctii:>n. The eggs are lighter in l)li itching and much smaller. I examined 

 great numbers [ ! !] of nests at this prairie and on the Columbia, but invariably 

 found that the same habit of doming prevailed. After nesting, they return 



with the young to 

 the sea-coasts, and 

 remain in 1 a r g- e 

 flocks often associ- 

 ated with Barking 

 Crciws until nesting 

 time comes again." 

 — No single point of 

 which has l)een con- 

 firmed by succeed- 

 ing observers. 



Dr. Cooper wrote'' 

 with exact truthful- 

 ness : "This fish- 

 criiw frequents the 

 coast and inlets of 

 this Territory in 

 large numbers, and 

 is nuich more gregarious and familiar than the common Crow. Otherwise it 

 much resembles that bird in habits, being very sagacious, feeding" on almost 

 everything animal and vegetable, and having nearly the same cries, differing 

 rather in tone than character. Its chief dependence for food being on the sea, 

 it is generally found along the lieacli, devouring dead fish and other things 

 brought up by the waves. It is also \-ery fond o^f oysters, which it breaks by 

 carrying them upward and dropping again rm a rock or other hard material. 

 Wlien the tide is full they resort to the fields or dwellings near the shore and 

 devour potatoes and other vegetables, offal, etc. They, like the gulls, perceive 

 the instant of change of the tide, and flocks will then start ofif together for a 

 favorite feeding ground. They are very troublesome to the Indians, stealing 



Tal:cn nl \ call Bar. 



l-'luitn bx llic Aulhr 



THE PH.\XTOM CROWS. 



a. Rep. Pac. R. R. Survey, Vol. XII., Bk. II. [Senate, i860]. 



