76 



Crows usually begin to build early in April. Mating begins in 

 March, when they are more noisy and less shy, than at other times. 

 The eggs, as a rule, are deposited from the middle of April to the 

 middle of May. A nest was found on April 14, 1873, containing six 

 eggs; another on May 24, 1873, with four fresh eggs. Their com- 

 plement varies from four to seven. The old birds are very assiduous 

 in the care of their young; the latter make a great outcry while being 

 fed; the mother may often be seen flying in circles about the nest, 

 talking to the little ones, and modulating her voice whimsically. 



Crows eat the eggs of other birds. I caught one in the act of 

 destroying those of the Night Heron (Nyctiardea grisea ncevia). He 

 came silently and stealthily into the swamp, but my shot cut short 

 his rapacious career just as he was about to indulge his gluttonous 

 appetite at such great cost to the poor Herons, and he tumbled in- 

 gloriously into the mud. 



Dimensions. Average measurements of six males: length, 19-30; 

 stretch, 37-70; wing, 12-18; tail, 7-52; culmen, 1-92; gape, 2-22; tar- 

 sus, 2-40; middle toe, 1-51; middle toe and its claw, 1-98. Average 

 measurements of six females: length, 18-60; stretch, 36-05; wing, 

 11-82; tail, 7*12; culmen, 1-76; gape, 2-02; tarsus, 2-28; middle toe, 

 1-38; middle toe and its claw, 1-85. Measurements of largest male 

 (No. 234, $ ad., October 8, 1874, Highland Falls, N. Y., E. A. M.) : 

 length, 19-75; stretch, 39-00; wing, 13-31; tail, 8-06; culmen, 1-96; 

 gape, 2-26; tarsus, 2-40; middle toe and its claw, 1-98. Measurements 

 of smallest female (No. 2,011, $ ad., March 13, 1880, Highland Falls, 

 N. Y., E. A. M.): length, 18-10; stretch, 34-50; wing, 10-85; tail, 

 6 - 85; culmen, 1-73; gape, 1-98; tarsus, 2-27; middle toe and its claw, 

 1-80. 



103. Corvus ossifragus (Wilson). FISH CROW. Occasional 

 upon the Hudson River. Observed from Riverdale to Cornwall. 



I recorded its capture at Highland Falls, in the Bulletin of the Nut- 

 tall Ornithological Club (Vol. Ill, No. 1, pp. 45-46, for January, 1878), 

 on the 7th of May, 1877. when I shot a female specimen. I have 

 come across but one other Fish Crow on the Hudson River. On 

 May 1, 1880, at Cornwall, I heard a note several times repeated, which I 

 recognized as that of the Fish Crow. Afterwards, one flew towards 

 me and passed quite near, so that I had a distinct view of it; its note, 

 'at the same time, was unmistakable, but I had no gun with me to 

 make assurance doubly sure. 



Mr. Eugene P. Bicknell, the only other observer who has noted this 

 Crow upon our river, writes as follows :* " As will be seen from the 

 following remarks, there is no doubt that a pair of these birds have 



i Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, Vol. Ill, No. 3, p. 131, July, 1878. 



