PASSERINiE. 277 



Conirostres, with certainty and precision, the different genera of the family 

 of the Crows, all of which have a similar internal structure and external 

 organs, only differing in a (generally) greater size, which sometimes ena- 

 bles them to hunt small birds : their strong bill is most commonly com- 

 pressed on the sides. 



These genera are three in number, the Crows, Birds of Paradise, and 

 tlie Rollers. 



CoRVus, Lin. 

 The Crows have a strong bill, more or less laterally flattened, nostrils co- 

 vered with stiff feathers, which incline forwards. They are very cunning, 

 their sense of smell is extremely acute, and they have, generally, a habit 

 of purloining articles totally useless to them, such as pieces of money, &c., 

 and even of hiding them. 



We more particularly call Crows or Ravens the large species, whose 

 bills are the strongest in proportion, and in which the ridge of the upper 

 mandible is the most arcuated. Their tail is either round or square. 



C. corax, L. ; Naum. 53, 1 ; Vaill. Afr. pi. 51 *. (The Raven). 

 Is the largest of the Passerine which inhabit Europe. Its size is 

 equal to that of the Cock. Its plumage is entirely black, the tail is 

 rounded, and the back of the upper mandible arcuated near the point. 

 It is a more solitary bird than the other species, flies well and high, 

 scents carrion at the distance of a league, and feeds also on all kinds 

 of fruit and small animals. It sometimes carries off poultry, builds 

 on the tops of high trees or rocky cliffs, is easily tamed, and may be 

 taught to speak tolerably well. It appears to be found in every part 

 • of the globe. In the north its plumage is frequently varied by a 

 mixture of white (Ascan. Ic. Nat. pi. viii) ; it is then the Corvus leu- 

 cophceus, Temm., Vieill. Gal. 100. 



C. corone, L. ; La Corneille, Enl. 495; Naum. 53, 2f. (The 

 Carrion Crow). A fourth smaller than the Raven ; the tail more 

 square, and the bill less arcuated above. 



C.frugilegus, li.; ZeFrewx, Enl. 484; Naum. 55. (The Rook). 

 StiU smaller than the preceding, with a straighter and more pointed 

 bill. The circumference of the base of the latter, except when very 

 young, is divested of feathers, which is probably occasioned by its 

 habit of thrusting it into the ground in search of food. 



These two species live in large flocks, numbers of them building 

 together. They feed as much on grain as on insects, and are found 

 throughout all Europe ; remaining in the winter, however, only in 

 the warmer districts. 



C. comix, L. ; Corneille mantelee, Enl. 76; Naum. 54. (The 



" N.B. Enl. 495 appears to be nothing more than a C. corone, and 483 a young 

 Rook. M. Temminck thinks that the quoted fig. of Le Vaillant is a particular spe- 

 cies peculiar to Africa, which he names C.montanus. 



f M. Temminck thinks there is a difference between the Crow of Europe and 

 that of the Cape (Vaill. 52), which he calls C. segetum. 



