CROWS AND JAYS 



229 



(iurin.L; llic Ijrccding period. A^'ain. durintj the 

 cold weather, tlicy often gather at)out stockyards 

 to feed, and even invade the cities where they 

 do much valuable work as scavengers. Here the 

 bird's natural intelligence is shown by the fact 

 that it soon becomes tame to the ])oint of bold- 

 ness, which is plain e\idence that it is (|uick- to 



realize that in these surroundings it will not be 

 molested by the very creatures wh(jm it (|uickly 

 learns to fear in its natural habitat. 



The White-necked Raven feeds principally on 

 animal matter, including locusts. Refuse grain 

 ;ilso plays an im])ortani p.art in its diet. Its nest 

 resembles that of the common Crow. 



CROW 



Corvus brachyrhynchos brachyrhynchos Brchm 



A. (). U. Xunibcr 488 See Color Plate 72 



Other Names. — .Vmerican Crow ; Common Crow ; 

 Carrion Crow. 



General Description. — Lenutli, ig'4 inches. Phim- 

 agc. black. Wing, long and pointed ; tail, much shorter 

 than wing; bill, compressed, and higher than broad; 

 feet, stout. 



Color. — Adults: Entire plumage, deep black; the 

 back, shoulders, rump, upper tail-coverts, wing-coverts, 

 and secondaries, with a gloss of metallic-violet; the 

 primary coverts, primaries, and outermost tail-feathers 

 glossed with greenish-blue; the middle tail-feathers 

 glossed with duller or more bUiish-violet than the 

 back, etc. ; under parts slightly glossed with bluish- 

 violet; iris, brown. Imm.\ture (in first winter) : 

 Similar to adults, but the violet and bluish-green gloss 

 of upper parts less distinct, especially on wings and 

 tail ; under parts, duller black. Young : Head, neck, 

 and body, dull sooty or grayish-black, the black slightly 



glossed with violet ; wings and tail as in adults, but 

 less strongly glossed with violet. 



Nest and Eggs. — Nest: Usually at good height in 

 conifers or other trees, sometimes 75 feet from ground; 

 a well-made, but coarse, structure of sticks, twigs, 

 grasses, tree bark, very often thickly and evenly lined 

 with the soft inner bark of chestnut, basswood, or other 

 dead trees, giving the interior a warm, yellowish-brown 

 color; fine roots, straw, wool, or hair arc also used for 

 linings. Eggs : 4 to 8, from pale bluish-green to olive- 

 green or greenish-buff, irregularly spotted and blotched 

 with brown and olive-gray. 



Distribution. — Temperate eastern North America, 

 except peninsula of Florida; north on Atlantic coast 

 to Newfoundland and Magdalen Islands (southern Lab- 

 rador?), on west side of Hudson Bay to Nelson River, 

 and in the interior nearly to the Arctic coast ; west to 

 the beginning of the arid region. 



C'jurtesy of Am. Mus. Kat. Hist. 

 CROW (1 nat. sizel 

 One of the best known of American birds 



