CROWS 195 



resident, is a summer immigrant, and is known as 

 a regular breeding species in this country. Further- 

 more, the habits of the two birds are in many ways 

 dissimilar, the Black Crow being distinctly a tree- 

 loving bird, whilst the Grey is rather a frequenter 

 of moors and waste places, especially of low hills 

 by the sea, and even of the shore itself. 



Yet to set against this, we have the curious fact 

 that the two birds mate freely together, and that in 

 the same nest, young of both the black and grey 

 forms are found. 



These hybrids, if they may be so called, are said 

 to be fertile, a circumstance which would go far to 

 prove that the original parents were not of distinct 

 species, but the evidence in regard to this is by no 

 means clear. 



On these grounds, however, and by reason of 

 their structural identity, the editor of Yarrell con- 

 cludes that no specific distinction can be main- 

 tained. At the same time, a dividing line between 

 these two types of Crows appears to be so firmly 

 drawn by Nature, that, strict scientific accuracy 

 apart, one cannot help sympathizing with Lilford, 

 Saunders and other authorities, who still prefer to 

 treat the Black and Grey Crows under separate 

 headings. 



The Black Crow has none of the social qualities 

 which distinguish the more familiar Rook. He 

 and his sombre mate confer alone together, seek- 

 ing no fellowship with man, and nesting alone 

 in some remote tree. Recognizing the fact that 

 they are outlaws in an altogether hostile land, 

 they pursue their nefarious course with the 



