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GENUS CorvUts, have thick, strong bills, conic in shape ; wings 
longish ; feet and legs strong, suitable for perching, toes capable of a 
good strong grip. Most of these birds are equally at home on 
the land. 
Corvus CoRAX, and the big Tibetan Raven, we shall pass over 
also Corone, the Carrion Crow, as they are not likely to be met 
with either in Darjeeling or the district. 
(660) Corvus CULMINATUS, Indian Corby, we might call the 
common crow of Darjeeling, though it is not nearly so numerous 
here, as common crows are in the plains. These crows are seen 
often resting on trees, by the side of our big rivers in the district, 
now and then they are observed in the station, usually solitary, 
occasionally in biggish groups. In these parts Corby is not a favo- 
rite, owing to the bad news it is supposed to convey, when it settles 
on a tree near the humble dwellings of hill folk. Corby is shunned 
by the smaller Jnsessores, owing to its thievish propensities ; usually 
an unguarded nest of freshly laid eggs, attracts its cupidity. It 
takes unjustifiable pleasure in cracking eggs with a poke or two of 
its long bill or if not hard shelled, crushes them between its mandi- 
bles, then sucks up the nutricious substance held in the saucer like 
nest ; but it is dead nuts on any bird trying the same game on its 
own eggs. However we must not blame it rashly for tastes and pro- 
pensities over which it seems to exercise but little control. What 
seems rather annoying is the mighty cawing he, and his gathered 
together flock of comrades, kick up, when the crested Honey-Buz- 
zard, has taken a fancy into its head to try the taste of a Corvine 
egg or two, and had just started sampling an outlying nest. The 
noise created by the much injured Corby is of course too much for 
the quiet jungle loving Buzzard, before it has had time to taste the 
eggs it has just cracked, it is off, once more, with a dive into the 
forest with its fingers (figuratively) in its ears to keep out the noise 
aud racket followed by the much injured crows. The Corby is 21 
inches long ; bill and legs are black ; irides dark brown ; plumage, 
above, is glossy black, beneath dull black. 
(663) Corvus SPLENDENS, Common Indian Crow, requires, but 
httle introduction, if it has not already made itself known to you. 
The name splendens is a remarkable title for so somberly coloured 
a bird. May be, splendens refers to the splended cawing it kicks up 
in the plains, where these birds, make themselves quite at home, 
and look upon city life as their happy hunting grounds. The famous 
Vieillot must have had, better reasons than these, for conferring so 
great an honor on this species. May be his thoughts ran in this 
direction. 
