CORVUS. 531 
The true Crows belong to the long-winged group of the Corvine, in which 
the tail is always less than three fourths the length of the wing ; in the 
other groups, the Magpies and the Jays, it is more than three fourths the 
length. From the Nutcrackers they may always be distinguished by never 
having the tail particoloured, and from the Choughs and the Orioles 
by having the bill black. The bill is stout and conical; the wings are 
long and somewhat pointed, and the first primary is more than half the 
length of the longest ; the tail is slightly rounded; and the tarsus is 
scutellated. 
The geographical range of the genus is cosmopolitan, with the exception 
of South America, New Zealand, and most of the Pacific Islands. This 
genus contains from forty to fifty species and subspecies. Ornithologists 
have amused themselves by splitting the Crows into numerous genera, 
apparently with no other object than to satisfy the desire for novelty, 
and with no other result than to confuse the ornithological student. My 
friend Mr. Sharpe admits no fewer than twelve of these pseudogenera, 
founded upon so-called structural characters of the most trivial kind; but 
he informs me that he does not now think these genera can be maintained. 
Five species belonging to this genus are found in Europe, all of which are 
British, whilst three others are included in the western Palearctic Region, 
being found in North Africa and Palestine. 
The Crows are almost omnivorous, and are found in most localities, how- 
ever bare and sterile. They are birds of powerful though rather heavy 
flight, and on the ground walk with ease. Their notes are harsh and 
unmusical. They build bulky nests of sticks, moss, roots, &c., in the 
branches of trees, on cliffs, and in holes in tree-trunks, walls, and rocks. 
Their eggs are from four to eight in number, and vary from almost white 
to green, and in one or two instances red, in ground-colour, spotted and 
blotched with green of varying degrees of intensity. 
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