A List of the Birds of the Hudson Highlands, with 

 Annotations. 



BY EDGAR A. MEARNS. 



[Continued from page 25, Vol. XII.] 



Family, CORVID-ffil. 



102. Corvus frugivorus (Bartratn). COMMON CROW. A per- 

 manent resident; breeds. 



Crows are partially migratory ; and whether those that breed here 

 are permanent residents, or are replaced in winter by individuals 

 which breed farther north, is a mooted question ; the latter hypothesis 

 seems most probable, however. There is a regular spring and fall 

 migration, when they move in immense flocks. On the evening of 

 December 5, 1876, I saw a flock that almost rivalled an historic flock 

 of Wild Pigeons. The Crows were flying southward, and settling in 

 an evergreen wood beside the Hudson. I immediately started 

 towards the spot, and, as I neared it, they all arose. The flock that 

 I saw alight at first was but a small fraction of the entire number that 

 then rose into the air; there were thousands of them. Save the loud, 

 rushing sound produced by their flight, which sounded like the 

 roar of a large waterfall, they were nearly silent. As they circled 

 overhead, a few caws, like words of command from chosen officers, 

 were heard ; but the rank and file uttered no sound. Soon they 

 alighted again in a deciduous forest not far distant, only to be again 

 alarmed at something and take to flighty but they finally settled near 

 the same place for the night, without a caw or a wing-flap to indicate 

 the whereabouts of that sable army of usually garrulous birds. These 

 migratory flocks begin to appear in October, and continue until the 

 commencement of winter. In February, flocks are seen passing 

 northward. 



There is a mountain in the Highlands, on the east side of the Hud- 

 son, where, late in summer, thousands of Crows come nightly to 

 roost in the cedars ; all come from the east, and I do not think that 

 any of our resident Crows join their camp. 



Crows are expert fishers. In winter, they watch at the fissures in 

 the ice along shore, at low tide, and claw out whatever fishes are 

 passing. I have known two Crows to capture upwards of twenty 

 good-sized goldfishes (Crassius auratus) in less than an hour's time. 



(75) 



