■ THE NORTHWEST CKOW. 415 



together, tiud causing aii odd shuddering- of the head and even of tlu- body. 

 This was repeated a few times, varied with a noisy 'caw, caw.'" 



Mr. B. J. Bretherton writes me as foHows: "The Northwest Crow is found 

 at Kadiak, Alaska, in immense numbers throughout the year, but in the winter 

 months they congregate in hirge flocks and therefore are more noticeable. In 

 general appearance and manners they greatly resemble the English Jackdaw; 

 they are easily tamed and become interesting pets, showing great fondness for 



theii" masters 



"During the winter months they feed almost entirely on mussels; in sum- 

 mer thev resort to the salmon streams and live mostly on fish; they also eat 

 berries. ^ Their call note is the regular 'caw' of a Crow, but they will also sit 

 by the hour and sing in a low minor key, which is quite pleasant to hear. They 

 are very bold, and quite fearless, and when one is shot the others will fly around 

 the gunner, uttering cries of distress and anger, often coming within arm's length. 

 They are very troublesome to the natives when dryuig salmon in the fall. In 

 April they go into the interior of the island to nest, and but few are seen until 

 Auo-ust. I have never found their nests." 



Mr. F. Bischoif found the Northwest Crow nesting near Sitka in the spring 

 of 1866, and Mr. William H. Dall observed it near St. Paul, Kadiak Island, 

 Alaska, on June 6, 1874. Eggs taken by both of these gentlemen are now in 

 the United States National Museum collection. Four or five eggs are usually 

 laid to a set, and neither these nor the nests difl'er materially from those of the 

 Common Crow; the}' average a trifle smaller, and the same description will 

 answer for both. In the more northern portions of the range nidificatiou 

 usually begins in tlie latter part of May or the beginning of June. 



The average measurement of eight eggs from St. Paul, Kadiak Island, and 

 Sitka, Alaska, is 39.62 by 27.43 millimetres, or 1.56 by 1.08 inches. The largest 

 egg measures 41.66 by 27.94 millimetres, or 1.64 by 1.10 inches; the smallest, 

 36.07 by 27.94 millimetres, or 1.42 by 1.10 inches. 



The type specunen. No. 12841 (PI. 4, Fig. 15), from a set of five eggs taken 

 by Mr. F. Bischoff, near Sitka, Alaska, in the early part of June, 1866, re}n-e- 

 sents an average egg of the species. 



165. Corvus ossifragus Wilson. 



FISH CROW. 



Cornis ossifraoiis WiLSON, American Oruitbology, V, 1812, 21, PI. 37, Fij;-. li. 



(B 429, C 229, R 283, (J 343, U 490.) 



Geographical kange : Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States: from southern 

 Connecticut, the lower Hudson Valley, and Lour Island, New York, south to Florida and 

 Louisiana; casually to southeastern Massachusetts (Plymouth County). 



The Fish Crow is a smaller bird than our Common Crow, and is readily 

 distinguished from the latter on this account, as well as by the difl'erence in its 

 call notes. It is a resident throughout the year from the coast of Virginia, and 



