96 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS 



replaces the latter, Corvus corone may be seen 

 feeding in ploughed fields, and scores resort to the 

 same plantation to roost (Salter, ZooL, 1895, p. 

 140). See also a note on Carrion Crows congre- 

 gating (Aplin, Zool, 1885, p. 183). 



Both Crows and Rooks feed much on fresh- 

 water mussels, which they find by the river-sides 

 at low tide : they drop them from a height to break 

 them open. Crows have been observed taking food 

 from the surface of the water while flying. (Har- 

 rison, " Descript. England," prefixed to Holinshed's 

 "Chronicle," 1577; confirmed. Spectator, July 

 25, 1891, and Field, June 20, 1896.) A similar 

 observation has been made in the case of the 

 Jackdaw (Johnson's " Gamekeeper's Directory," 

 1851, p. 95). 



Crows will attack rookeries and drive away the 

 rightful owners of the nests (Field, April 18 and 25, 

 1891 ; May 2, 1891 (E. L. Layard), and Zool, 1896, 

 p. 144). So will Ravens and Herons (q-v.). 



HOODED CROW. Corvus comix, Linnaeus. PI. 15, 

 fig. 3. Length, 18 in. ; bill, 2*25 in. ; wing, 12-5 in. ; 

 tarsus, 2-25 in. 



Resident in Scotland and Ireland ; a winter 

 visitant to the east and south of England ; rare in 

 the south-west. In Scotland it is said to pair 

 habitually with the Carrion Crow, and on this 

 account has been regarded by some naturalists as 

 specifically identical with that bird. (See Sir W. 

 Jardine's " British Birds," vol. ii. p. 234 ; Mac- 



