282 BULLETIN 191, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



wing and giving their weak calls. The appearance on the wing is 

 slightly different; the wing of the fish crow seems to be more pointed 

 at the tip of the primaries, and broader at the base, where the sec- 

 ondaries are relatively longer than in the common crow, but the differ- 

 ence is not easily detected. Fish crows are inclined to soar or to hover 

 and are often more gregarious than the common species. The difference 

 in size is an unsafe character, unless the two species can be closely 

 compared. 



Enemies. — All small birds hate crows and will drive them away 

 from the vicinity of their nests, for the protection of their eggs and young. 

 I have twice seen red-winged blackbirds attacking fish crows, just as 

 kingbirds attack the larger crows. The herons are the chief sufferers 

 from the depredations of fish crows. Perhaps some of the larger herons 

 may destroy the young of the crows. The following incident is sug- 

 gestive. Mrs. C. W. Melcher, of Homosassa Springs, Fla., tells me 

 the following story : "One day in spring I heard the raucous cry of 

 the Ward's heron, but with it was mingled an unusual note of distress. 

 I ran to the porch just in time to see the heron fly into the river, where 

 he sank to his body. Qose behind him came a fish crow, and, as the 

 heron sank into the water, the crow flew about his head and delivered 

 several telling strokes, the heron meantime emitting loud cries of fright 

 and distress. At last the crow ceased his chastisement and flew away. 

 Then the heron laboriously lifted himself out of the water and flew away 

 squawking. A day or two later I again heard the distress note and 

 ran to look. This time they were in the air, the heron squawking as 

 he flew, with the crow in full pursuit. At intervals for about ten days 

 I saw the same performance." 



Harold S. Peters (1936) lists two species of lice, Myrsidea aniericana 

 and Philopterus corvi, that have been found on fish crows as external 

 parasites. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — Atlantic and Gulf coast regions of the United States; not 

 regularly migratory. 



The range of the fish crow extends north to northwestern Louisiana 

 (Caddo Lake) ; central Arkansas (Little Rock) ; central Alabama 

 (Coosada) ; northwestern South Carolina (Greenwood) ; central Vir- 

 ginia (Charlottesville) ; southeastern New York (Rhinebeck) ; and 

 Rhode Island (Warren). East to the Atlantic coast from Rhode Island 

 (Warren) south to southern Florida (Royal Palm Park). South 

 along the Gulf c.oast from southern Florida (Royal Palm Park, Fort 

 Myers, and Apalachicola) to southeastern Texas (Orange). West to 



