NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS EGGS. 



235 



[Pale bluish green.] 



487. White-necked Raven. Corvus cryptoleucus. 



Range. Mexico and the border of the United States; north to eastern Kansas. 



This small Raven is of about the size of the 

 Crow, and has the bases of the neck feathers 

 white. They are very abundant in some 

 localities, especially in southern Arizona. ^ 

 Their food consists chiefly of animal matter, 

 the same as the large Ravens, and they are * 

 not nearly as shy, frequently feeding in .g 

 camps upon refuse which is thrown out to 

 them. They build at low elevations in any 

 tree, but preferably in mesquites, making 

 their nests of sticks and lining them with 

 hair, leaves, bark, wool or anything soft. 

 During June they lay from four to six pale 

 bluish green eggs, generally sparingly spotted or scratched with dark brown 

 and drab. Size 1.75 x 1.20. 



488. American Crow. Corvus americanus. 



Range. Whole of North America south of 

 the Arctic Circle; most abundant in eastern 

 United States; rare in many localities in the 

 west. 



These birds, against which the hand of 

 every farmer is uplifted, are very shy and 

 cunning; as is well known, they nearly 

 always post a sentinel in some tree top to 

 keep watch while the rest of the flock is feed- 

 ing in the field below. In the fall and win- 

 ter, large numbers of them flock, and at 

 night all roost in one piece of woods; some 

 of the "crow roosts" are of vast extent and 



contain thousands of individuals. Crows nest 



near the tops of large trees, preferably pines, either 



in woods or single trees in fields. Their nests 



are made of sticks and lined with rootlets, and 



the eggs, which are laid in April or May, range 



from four to seven in number, are a bluish or 



greenish white, sparingly or very densely specked, 



spotted and blotched with various shades of brown 



and lilac. Size 1.60 x 1.15. 



488a. Florida Crow. Corvus americanus pascuus. 



[Bluish white.] 



Range. Florida. 



This variety has a slightly shorter tail and wings than the last. 



489. Northwest Crow. Corvus caurinus. 



Range. Northwest coast from Oregon to Alaska. 



This small Crow which is but 16 inches in length, 

 is found only on the coast, where they feed upon 

 shell fish and offal. They nest, as do "the Ravens, 

 either on ledges or in tree tops. The eggs resemble 

 those of the common Crow, but are smaller. 

 Size 1.55x1.05. 



[Bluish white.] 



[Greenish white.] 



