HOODED, OR ROYSTON CROW. 233 



colours of the reflections of the plumage, and also 

 by its structure ; on the head and neck it is much 

 looser and more unconnected, and the lustre is 

 of that peculiar reddish purple seen in the Rusty 

 Crackle, (Scolecophagus ferrugineus.) 



THE HOODED, OR ROYSTON CROW, CORVUS 

 COR Nix, Linn. Corvus cornix. Linn. Hooded, 

 Gray-backed, or Royston Crow of British authors. 

 So far as our information and observation have 

 extended, this species is stationary through the 

 year in the northern parts of Scotland, while in 

 the softth, and in some parts of England, it is 

 migratory. It possesses the same predatory 

 habits with the last, but from being confined 

 almost in distribution to the coast, they are not 

 so severely or generally felt. It destroys the 

 eggs and young of birds, and where not defended, 

 robs the nests of the sea fowl ; it is also said occa- 

 sionally to attack young lambs. Its great fund 

 of subsistence, however, is on the shore, and the 

 various marine animal productions which arc cast 

 up with every tide furnish it with a constant 

 supply, which, perhaps, in some measure checks 

 the degree of mischief which it might otherwise 

 commit on the productions of cultivation. As 

 we previously remarked, in those localities where 

 it abounds, it fills almost entirely the place of the 

 last, extending inland for five or six miles; and 

 beyond that distance, unless where the country is 

 intersected with bays or long salt water lochs, 



