35() Procctdinys of InilUtiKi Academy of Science. 



In the South there is au iiiterestiu.u; superstition, especially among the 

 negroes, who say that you never see any Itlue jays on Friday because they 

 are all away carrying sticks to the devil! 



In Monroe Coiiitfi/. the jays are common and begin to nest as early as the 

 tirst of April. April lo, 1882. a set of three fresh eggs near Bloomington ; 

 February 16. I880, common. 



1)1 Vino County, also, they are a coninidn bird. Their nests may be found 

 in the hawth(n-ns. locusts, and similar trees. 



117. CoKvrs coiiAx sixiatis Wagler. kavk.x. (48(1) 



Formerly common, but now rare, if it has not entirely disappeared. In 

 my boyhood days I have seen ravens in Carroll County. I am not sure 

 I ever saw one in Monroe or Vigo County. 



118. CORVUS BRACHYR]IY.VCHOS ISRACIIYIUIYXCIIOS Brehm. CROW. (488) 



A common and familiar permanent resident. In the winter the crows 

 gather up in great numbers and have permanent roosting places. One of 

 these rookeries was located near Ridge Farm on the west side of the 

 Wabash River, a few miles north of Terre Haute. When visiting this 

 region in February, 1889, I saw what I estimated at 2,000 crows flying 

 to this rookery in the evening. During the day they scatter over the sur- 

 rounding country, covenng a radius of several miles, feeding in the fields 

 and other open places, and return in the evening to the roosting place. The 

 winter of 1884-5, in central Indiana, was one of unusual and continued 

 cold and deep, drifted snows. The crows, however, like the poor, were 

 ever with ns and, seemingly, in unusually great numbers. At Camden they 

 were noted flying east in the morning and west in the evening; I'arely or 

 never north or south. I did not succeed in locating their roosting place or 

 places. They were usually more or less scattered in their flight, but often 

 they flew in rather compact bodies of 10 to 50 birds. Sometimes, usually 

 about 4 P. M., the flocks were much larger. On March 4, 1885. Mr. Will 

 Hough of Delphi, saw what he estimated at 400 to 500 flying west over 

 South Delphi. They flew in a pretty compact body. The evening was very 

 cold, the temperature being 12 to 15 below zero. Two evenings later (March 

 6), at 4 o'clock. I saw about 60 in one flock flying west near Delphi. 



The Crow nests early in the spring. Full sets of eggs taken near Bloom- 

 ington, March 20, and near Burlington. April 16. 



Crows have a bad reputation, doubtless far worse than they deserve. 

 They are charged with pulling up newly i)lanted corn which they probably 

 do to some extent : also with destroying the eggs of various species of wild 

 birds, and domestic fowls, which also is doubtless true. I, myself, have 

 often seen crows visit a strawstack in which several hens had their nests, 

 search for eggs and, when found, impale the egg on their bill and fly away 

 to some distant tiee or other safe place where the egg would be devoured. 



A nest with three fi-esh eggs near Burlington. April IC, 1883 ; another nest 

 with four fresh eggs found in an apple tree near Burlington, April 28. 1919, 

 by my young grandni-phew. Donovan Beck. 



A nest with two addled eggs and one large young near Bloomington, 

 April 29, 1882. Common Jaimary 12, 1883. 



