CROWS AND ALLIED SPECIES. 491 



long, arched, compressed and acute claws, enables them to walk 

 on the ground with considerable ease, and even in some cases 

 to run, although in general, when disposed to quicken their 

 pace, they are obliged to leap. They also perch very securely 

 on trees or stones. 



They all breed very early in the season, forming a bulky and 

 generally rather flat nest, composed of sticks and lined with 

 soft materials. The eggs, which vary from three to seven, are 

 marked with dark spots or freckles on a light bluish, greenish, 

 or whitish ground. The young are born blind, and are at first 

 slightly covered with loose dusky down. Their first plumage 

 is coloured as in the adults, but with less gloss. The males 

 and females are alike in external appearance ; the latter some- 

 what smaller. 



The plumage is changed once in the year, always very gra- 

 dually, in summer and autumn. The feathers when old fade 

 considerably and become more or less ragged on the edges, al- 

 though much less so than in many other families. All the 

 species are liable to albinism. * ' 



These birds are for the most part generally distributed over 

 the country. Being more or less destructive^ to game, they are 

 all proscribed, excepting the Rook, which being now better 

 known, is not so much molested as formerly. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE BRITISH GENERA AND SPECIES. 



GENUS L CORVUS. CROW. 



Bill about the length of the head, straight, strong, deep, com- 

 pressed towards the end ; both its outlines a little convex ; 

 tarsi of moderate length, with about eight anterior scutella ; 

 wings long, straight, the fourth quill longest ; tail of moderate 

 length, rounded. 



1. Corvus Corax. Raven, Black, splendent with purplish- 

 blue and green ; feathers of the fore-neck elongated^ and lanceo- 

 late. 



