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that the latter occupies the north-eastern portion — an irregular line 

 drawn diagonally from about the Firth of Clyde to the head of the 

 Adriatic roughly marking their respective distribution. But both 

 are essentially migrants, and hence it follows than when the Black 

 Crow, as summer comes to an end, retires southward, the Grey 

 Crow moves downward, and in many districts replaces it during 

 the "winter. Further than this, it has now been incontestably 

 proved that along or near the boundary where these two birds 

 march, they not infrequently interbreed, and it is beKeved that the 

 hybrids, which sometimes wholly resemble one or other of the 

 parents and at other times assume an intermediate plumage, pair 

 indiscriminately among themselves, or with the pure stock. Hence 

 it has seemed to some ornithologists who have studied the subject, 

 that these two birds, so long unhesitatingly regarded as distinct 

 species, are only local races of one and the same dimorphic species. 

 No structural difference — or indeed any difference except that of 

 range (already spoken of) and colour — can be detected, and the 

 problem they offer is one of which the solution is exceedingly 

 interesting if not important to zoologists in general.^ 



The views here briefly expressed have been set forth much more 

 fully in the foiirth edition of Yarrell's British Birds (ii. pp. 274-288) ; 

 but they seem to be highly distasteful to some writers, whose remarks, 

 however, shew a curious inability to appreciate the admitted facts of 

 the question. The mode of life of the Crows needs not to be 

 described. Almost omnivorous in their diet, there is little edible 

 that comes amiss to them, and, except in South America and New 

 Zealand, they are mostly omnipresent. The number of species 

 described is considerable, but doubtless should and will be ruthlessly 

 curtailed when a revision of the group is undertaken by any orni- 

 thologist working with proper materials. The Fish-Crow of North 

 America, C. ossifragus, demands a few words, since it betrays a taste 

 for maritime habits beyond that of other species, but our own 

 Crows of Europe are not averse on occasion from prey cast up by the 

 waters, though they will hardly draw it thence for themselves. 

 The so-called " Hooded Crow " of India, C. splendens, is not very 

 nearly allied to its European namesake, from which it can be 

 readily distinguished by its smaller size and the lustrous tints of 

 its darkest feathers, while its confidence in the human race has been 

 so long encouraged by its intercourse with an unarmed and in- 

 offensive population, that it becomes a plague to the European 

 abiding or travelling where it is abundant. Hardly a station or 

 camp in British India is free from a crowd of feathered followers 



^ As bearing upon this question may be mentioned the fact that the Crow of 

 Australia, C. australis, is divisible into two forms or races, one having the irides 

 white, the other of a dark colour. It is stated that they keep apart and do not 

 intermix. 



