THE FISH CROW. 363 
CORVUS OSSIFRAGUS. — Wilson. 
The Fish Crow. 
Corvus ossifragus, Wilson. Am. Orn., V. (1812) 27. Nutt. Man., I. (1832) 216. 
Aud. Orn. Biog., II. (1884) 268; V. 479. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Fourth quill longest; second rather longer than seventh; first shorter than the 
ninth; glossy-black, with green and violet reflections; the gloss of the belly 
greenish. 
In this species the bill is shaped much as in the Common Crow, the upper outline 
perhaps a little more convex; the bristly feathers at the base of the bill reach 
nearly half-way to the tip; I find no bare space at the base of the lower mandible, 
although the feathers are not quite so thick there as in the Common Crow; the 
tarsus has eight transverse scutelle, and is decidedly shorter than the middle toe 
with its claw; the lateral claws do not reach within one-tenth of an inch of the base 
of the middle claw. 
The wings are long and acute; the fourth is longest; next the third, fifth, second, 
and sixth; the first is about as long as the secondaries. 
Length, about fifteen and fifty one-hundredths inches; wing, ten and fifty one- 
hundredths inches; tail less than seven inches; tarsus shorter than the middle 
toe and claw. 
Hab. — South Atlantic (and Gulf ?) coast. 
This bird is so extremely rare in New England, that it 
can be regarded only as an occasional straggler. I under- 
stand that it has been taken on Long Island, and, on one 
or two occasions, in Connecticut, in company with the Com- 
mon Crow. 
Audubon says of the habits of this species, — 
‘While on the St. John’s River in Florida, during the month of 
February, I saw flocks of Fish Crows, consisting of several hun- 
dred individuals, sailing high in the air, somewhat in the manner 
of the Raven. These aérial excursions would last for hours, 
during the calm of a fine morning, after which the whole would 
descend toward the water to pursue their more usual avocations in 
all the sociability of their nature. When their fishing, which lasted 
about half an hour, was over, they would alight in flocks on the 
live oaks and other trees near the shore, and there keep up their 
gabble, pluming themselves for hours. 
“The nest of this species is smaller than that of the Common 
Crow, and is composed of sticks, moss, and grasses, neatly finished 
