254 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



as the flight of the latter is swifter, they are frequently unsuccessful in these 

 attempts at robbery. This Crow can catch living hsh with considerable 

 dexterity, but cannot feed while on the wing. 



During the winter and early spring, Mr. Audubon states that these birds 

 feed on various kinds of berries, especially those of the Ilex cassina and of 

 the common holly, and those of the exotic tallow-tree, now so common near 

 Charleston {Stillingia sebifera). In January and February these trees are 

 much resorted to by the Crows, who greedily devour their white and oily seeds. 



Mr. Audubon found these birds breeding generally on moderate-sized trees 

 of the loblolly-pine, building tlieir nests towards the extremities of the 

 branches, about twenty feet from the ground. The nests are smaller than 

 those of the Crow, and are built of sticks, lined with dry grasses and moss, 

 and neatly finished with fine fibrous roots. The eggs are five or six in num- 

 ber, and resemble those of the Crow, but are smaller. 



Two eggs of this species, from St. Simon's Island, measure, one 1.50 

 in length by 1.10 in breadth, the other 1.52 by 1.09. Their ground-color is 

 a light blue with a slight greenish tinge, marked over the entire egg with 

 small blotches of a light brown. An egg from Great Egg Harbor, obtained 

 by Wilson, from the old Peale Museum, and which may be a laded specimen, 

 has no tinge of blue or green, but a ground of pinkish-gray, marked with 

 smaller blotches and cloudings of dark drab. It measures 1.46 inches in 

 length by one inch in breadth. 



Genus PICICORVUS, Bonap. 



Picicorvus, Bonaparte, Consp. Av. 1850, 384. (Type, Corvus columhianus, Wils.) 



Gen. Char. Leaden-gray color, with black wings and tail. Bill longer than the head, 



considerably longer than the tarsus, 

 attenuated, slightly decurved ; tip 

 without notch. Culmen and com- 

 missure curved ; gonys straight or 

 slightly concave, as long as the tarsi. 

 Nostrils circular, completely covered 

 by a full tuft of incumbent white 

 bristly feathers. Tail much shorter 

 than the wings, nearly even or 

 slightly I'ounded. Wings pointed, 

 reaching to the tip of tail. Third, 

 fourth, and fifth quills longest. Tarsi 

 short, scarcely longer than the mid- 

 dle toe, the hind toe and claw very 

 large, reaching nearly to the middle 

 of the middle claw, the lateral toe 



"=~~ ' ^^ ^^ ~ little shorter. A row of small scales 



Picicorvus columbianus. , . , ,, _ , . , „ 



on the middle of the sides or tarsus. 



Color of the single species leaden-gray, with black wings and tail. 



