Chap. 3. 



BIRDS OF VERMONT. 



71 



THE RUSTY BLACK-EIRD. 



TllK CROW. 



sometimes the other, and it is only by 

 striking a balance between the service 

 and injury, that we can determine huw to 

 regard them. That he pulls up corn for 

 the sake of the seed is undeniable; but it 

 is also true tliat he devours immense num- 

 bers of insects, grubs and caterpillars. 

 Perhaps it may be possible to secure his 

 services and prevent his depredations. 

 Some attempts to effect this object have 

 already been made, by soaking the seed 

 in some solution, which shall make it less 

 palatable to the bird.*' Crow Black Birds 

 build their nests in communities, some- 

 times on bushes and sometimes on lofty 

 trees, and several nests are frequently 

 seen upon the same tree. The nest is 

 composed outwardly of mud and coarse 

 grass, and is lined inwardly with fine grass, 

 hair, &c. The eggs, usually 5 or G, are 

 greenish, spotted with dark olive. Only 

 one brood is usually reared in a season. 

 About the time the leaves fall in autumn 

 tiie old and young collect in very large 

 flocks and commence their migration to 

 the south, laying the whole country un- 

 der contribution as they advance. 



THE RUSTY BLACK-BIRD. 



Qidscahis fcrrugincus . — Lath. 



Description. — General color of the 

 male deep black, with greenish and bluish 

 reflections ; bill and feet black ; iris pale 

 yellow. Wings long; second quill lon- 

 gest; tail long, slightly rounded ; plumage 

 soft, blended, and glossy. Bill straight, 

 tapering, and compressed from the base ; 

 nostrils, basal, oval, Iialf closed above by 

 a membrane. Body rather slender; feet 

 strong ; tarsus covered anteriorly witii a 

 few long scutella. Length l)^ inches ; 

 spread 14^, in males. General color of 

 the female brownish black ; the sides of 

 file head over the eyes, and a broad band 

 beneath it, liglit yellowish brown ; the 

 feathers of the lower parts more or less 

 margined with brownisii. Bill, iris, and 

 feet as in the male. — Auduhon. 



History. — The Rusty Black Bird, call- 

 ed also the Rusty Grahle, passes through 

 this state in its spring and fall migrations, 

 and is sometimes seen here in considera- 

 ble flocks, particularly in the fall Some 

 of them probably breed in the north ])art 

 of the stnte. They resenihle the Red- 

 winged Black Birds in their habits and in 

 the construction of their nests, which are 

 built upon low bushes in moist meadows. 

 The eggs are 4 or 5, of a light blue color, 

 streaked and dashed with lines of brown 

 and black. 



* i'uabocly. 



Genus Corvus — Linnaus. 

 Generic Characters.— BiU thick, straight 

 at its base, sliahily bent towards tlie point ; rms- 

 trils basal, open and bidden by reflcclcd bristly 

 feathers ; feet wiih three toes before and one be- 

 hind, divided ; the tarsus longer tiian the middle 

 toe ; wing.s pointed ; first qtiill short, third and 

 fourth longest. The tail consists of 12 feathers. 



THE CROW. 



Corvus amcricanus . — Audubon. 



Description. — Color black and glossy, 

 with violet reflections from tlie wings, 

 tail and shoulder feathers ; tail rounded, 

 and extending an inch and a half beyond 

 the folded wings ; bill, legs, feet and 

 claws black ; bristly feathers incumbent 

 upon each side of the bill covering the 

 nostrils ; the fourth quill feather longest ; 

 usual length lH inches. 



History. — The Crow is fotind in all 

 parts of the world, and is one of tlie few 

 large birds wiiich pass the whole winter 

 in Vermont. During the winter the Crows 

 reside in flocks, but on the approach of 

 spring they separate into pairs, and retire 

 into the forests for the purpose of rearing 

 their young. During this period they are 

 viffilant, suspicious, and upon any real or 

 supposed intrusion upon their purpose 

 they become very noisy. They build 

 their nests upon lofty trees, and usually 

 select for that purpose such as have thick 

 tops, in which the nests can be more ef- 

 fectually concealed. On this account the 

 pine and otlter evergreens are often cho- 

 sen. The nest is constructed exteriorly 

 of sticks, plastered with earth, and lined 

 with moss, wool, or other soft substances. 

 Their eggs, from 4 to 6 in number, are of 

 a pale green color, marked with streaks 

 and blotches of brown. The Crow is om- 

 nivorous, devouring insects, worms, car- 

 rion, fish, grain, fruits, snakes, frogs and 

 other reptiles, and also the eggs of other 

 birds. In the spring of the year he does 

 the agriculturist considerable damage by 

 pulling up the young Indian corn for the 

 sake of the kerne], on which account a 



