232 CARRION CROW. 



is almost entirely supplied by it ; and beyond the 

 middle Highlands the same comparative distribu- 

 tion occurs, the Carrion Crow giving place to the 

 next. In Ireland, Mr Thompson writes to Us, 

 that through the north of Ireland they chiefly 

 frequent the sea coast. Of its foreign range we 

 know it to be spread over Europe, and is noted 

 by Temminck among the Japanese birds ; but it 

 does not extend to North America, as was sup- 

 posed^ the species occurring there, (C. Ameri- 

 canus) being quite distinct, differing in all its 

 form and proportions. When writing the notes 

 for Wilson's North American Ornithology, al- 

 though we had no doubt of the fact, the want of 

 specimens for comparison prevented us entering 

 on the subject. Soon after, we received a speci- 

 men from Pennsylvania, through the kindness of 

 Mr Swainson, which at once removed all doubt ; 

 and since that, we have examined other American 

 skins sent to us by Mr Doubleday. Mr Audubon, 

 in 1834, described it in his biography as distinct. 

 The outline of the bill of the American bird 

 exhibits some difference from that of the true C. 

 corone, being weaker and much less conical in 

 shape, forms at once reconcilable with the bird 

 much less carnivorous, and almost as it were 

 holding a place between C. corone and frugilegus. 

 The plumage is entirely black, with steel-blue 

 reflections, and in the height of the breeding state 

 it is very rich and glossy. The female is rather 

 smaller than the male. The Carrion Crow may be 

 distinguished from the C. Americanus by the 



