CROW-LIKE BIRDS. 



63 



never been imported, because he says that sooner or 

 later it is sure to be. 



BLACK-AND-WHITE JACKDAW (Colceus dauuricus). 



Purplish-black above, the margins of the feathers 

 glossy ; the primary coverts and nights more or less 

 green ; tail greenish in certain lights ; a broad greyish 

 white collar on back and. sides of neck ; head glossy 

 purplish-black becoming bluer on fore-neck ; ear 

 coverts and vicinity of the same with ashy streaks ; 

 rest of body below greyish-white excepting the thighs, 

 vent, and under wing and tail coverts, which are 

 purplish-black ; bill and feet black ; irides brown. 

 Female described as slightly larger ; it doubtless differs 

 somewhat in the character of its bill. Hab., Northern 

 Asia, from the Altai Mountains to Eastern Siberia ; 

 China and Japan. (Sharpe.) 



According to Seebohm (" Birds of the Japanese 

 Empire," p. 97), this appears to be a rare bird in 

 Japan ; he tells us nothing about its habits there. 



Mr. C. W. Campbell, writing on '' Birds Collected in 

 Corea" (The Ibis, 1892, p. 238), says: "In large 

 flocks I always saw numbers of a smaller and white- 

 breasted species, which I took to 'be Corvus dauuricus. 

 I frequently tried to obtain a specimen, but was always 

 baffled by the wariness of the bird." 



Capt. H. A. Walton, describing tHe "Birds of 

 Peking" (The, Ibis, 1903, p. 21), tells us that "It 

 was especially numerous during the very cold weather 

 in December and January. Its voice is very like that 

 of the English Jackdaw." 



Mr. J. D. D. Lai louche (The Ibis, 1906, p. 432) says 

 that .at iChinkiang it is " extremely abundant through- 

 out the winter. It arrives in October and leaves early 

 in spring." 



This is all that I have been able to discover respect- 

 ing the wild life. It was presented to the Zoological 

 Society of London in July, 1890, :by Mons. J. de la 

 louche. 



The Chaplain Crow (Corone capillana), which ranges 

 from Persia and Mesopotamia eastwards into India., is 

 regarded as a mere sub-species of our Hooded Crow ; 

 ten specimens have been exhibited at our Zoological 

 Gardens. 



INDIAN CROW (Corone splendens}. 



General colour greyish-black ; the back, outer webs 

 of primaries and tail with a greenish or steely gloss ; 

 wings slightly purplish ; nasal bristles, crown, orbital 

 region, cheeks and throat purplish-black ; nape, sides of 

 neck, mantle, fore-neck and chest drab-brown ; bill 

 and feet 'black ; irides dark 'brown. The female is a 

 trifle duller and smaller than the male, with slightly 

 shorter ball. Hab., India and. Ceylon. Jerdon ob- 

 serves ("Birds of India," Vol. II., pp. 299, 300): 

 " This Crow, though eminently social, is not strictly 

 gregarious, but it roosis in company, in vast numbers, 

 and there are certain spots near all large towns or 

 stations where they nightly congregate for this purpose, 

 coming from a distance varying from three to ten miles 

 of radius." 



" The food ot this Crow is greatly varied ; but, as 

 a rule, it may be said that it lives on the crumbs that 

 fall from the food of man. Many natives eat habitually 

 out of doors, and the (remnants of boiled rice or other 

 grain are thrown away, whilst in those that feed within 

 doors the fragments are pitched out at certain stated 

 intervals, well known to the Crows of the vicinity, who 

 proceed from house to house, warned by eome watchful 

 member of theiir community when the feast is at hand. 

 So well known is the process of cooking that a small 

 fire, or rather its attendant smoke, even in some un- 



usual spot far away from their daily haunt, will at 

 once .attract one or two hungry Crows, who, if the 

 symptoms of food are favourable, remain for the ex- 

 pected leavings. In the intervals between the meals of 

 mankind, some betake themselves early in the morning 

 to some plain that has perhaps been flooded, to pick 

 up a crab, a frog, a fish, or insects. Others hunt for 

 grubs in ploughed lands, or iu pastures along with 

 cattle, and others may be seen ridding cattle of the 

 ticks or other insects that infest them ; some betake 

 themselves 'to the side of a river or tank ; a few, in? 

 the vicinity of large rivers or creeks, follow vessels, and 

 hunt with the Gulls and Terns ; and not a few, about. 

 Calcutta and other large cities, find a plentiful repa-st 

 on the corpse of some dead Hindoo, or on that of a 

 dead bullock. A banian tree, a peepul, or other tree- 

 witih ripe fruit, will always be visited by many Crows ; 

 and if a flig.ht of winged termites takes place, morning, 

 or evening, there are the Crows to be found in abund- 

 ance, and adroitly catching them in company with Bee- 

 eaters, Kites, King-crows, and, mayhap, Bats." 



" The Crow breeds from April to July, according to- 

 the locality, and, occasionally, two or three build in 

 the same tree, though, in general, there is not more' 

 than one. Now and then they select a corner of a 

 house or some convenient nook, but generally build in 

 trees, making a moderate fabric of sticks, occasionally 

 thinly lined with some softer materials." "The eggs 

 are usually four in number, and are greenish-blue,, 

 spotted and blotched in various degrees with brown." 



The London Zoological .Society first secured this Crow 

 for the Gardens in June, 1870, since which date a fair 

 number of specimens has been received both at the 

 London and Amsterdam Gardens, and in those of Berlin 

 it has not been unrepresented. 



AMERICAN CROW (Corone americana). 



Glossy purplish-black with violet reflections ; head 

 and neck somewhat brownish ; wings steel-black, slightly 

 glossed with violet ; the outer coverts, primary coverts r 

 and primaries outwardly glossed with green ; tail- 

 feathers greenish on inner webs ; bill and feet black ; 

 irides brown. Female rather smaller and with shorter 

 bill. Hab., North America. 



According to Charles Bendire (" Life Histories of 

 North American Birds," Vol. II.), the food of this Crow 

 seems to be remarkably varied, but he appears to think 

 that on the whole it does more good than Jiarm to the 

 farmer. As regards the nidification he says (pp. 411- 

 412) : " Nest-building in the more southern States begins- 

 sometimes by Feb. 20, and correspondingly later north- 

 ward. In the vicinity of Washington, district of Colum- 

 bia, fresh eggs may be occasionally found in the last 

 week in March, but more frequently during the first 

 two weeks in April. Along our northern border they 

 nest generally about the beginning of May ; and even 

 in the most northern portions of their range they have 

 been known to breed equally early, but most frequently 

 nidification here is protracted well into June. In Idaho, 

 Washington, and Oregon it is at its height between 

 April 15 and May 20. The nests are bulky, usually 

 well constructed, and placed in the forks of branches, 

 generally well up and hard to reach. Occasionally one 

 is placed near tlie main trunk, this being mostly the 

 case where bushy cedars or junipers are used. Any 

 sort of tree may be chosen for a nesting site, providing 

 it is one of dense foliage which will, hide the nest well. 

 In some localities pine trees seem to be preferred, while 

 in others oaks are often selected. In the West cotton- 

 woods, junipers, and willows are most frequently used*. 



