CARRION CROW. 81 



terial : the eggs are usually four or five in number, of a pale 

 bluish green, spotted and speckled with two shades of ash 

 colour and clove brown ; the length of the egg one inch eight 

 lines, by one inch two lines in breadth. The male feeds the 

 female while she remains upon the eggs, and both defend 

 their young with great courage against birds much larger 

 than themselves. According to Mr. Macgillivray, if the 

 male be killed, the female soon gets another mate. In coun- 

 tries where the Carrion Crow is not numerous, it has been 

 known to pair with the Hooded Crow ; and some instances of 

 this, and of some other birds also, that in a wild state have 

 been known to pair with birds that were not of their own 

 species, will be noticed in the history of the Hooded Crow, 

 which immediately follows. 



The Carrion Crow is found throughout England. In Ire- 

 land, Mr. Thompson informs me, it frequents the sea coast 

 chiefly through the northern parts. In Scotland it is also 

 found ; but diminishes in number as you approach the 

 northern extremity. Miiller includes the C. corone in the 

 Birds of Denmark ; but M. Nilsson says it is rare in Sweden, 

 and according to Oedman it does not go to the northward of 

 Nordkopin. It is found in Norway, on the Faroe Islands, 

 and at Iceland. The Crow of the United States of America 

 is a different species. 



Southward in Europe, it is found in Germany, France, 

 Spain, Provence, and Italy ; inhabiting the woods from 

 spring to autumn, and the plains from autumn through the 

 winter to spring. According to M. Temminck it is found 

 in the Morea. A Russian Naturalist, whose name has been 

 already quoted, has included it as inhabiting the country 

 south of the Caucasian range, between the Black and the 

 Caspian Seas. M. Temminck says it is also found in Japan. 



The beak of this bird is black, the nostrils and basal third 

 covered by feathers directed forwards ; iridcs dark brown ; the 



VOL. II. G 



