OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 



The eggs are commonly bluish or greenish, and diversified 

 with speckles. Although not properly gregarious, these birds 

 are often drawn together in vast numbers, by a common in- 

 terest. 



Corvus Americanus, Audubon. 



This species, the common Crow, is quite abundant through- 

 out the entire summer, in this section of the country ; and, 

 even during extremely severe weather in winter, we have ob- 

 served numerous individuals roosting in the junipers and 

 cedars of the Wissahickon Hills, when the ground is covered 

 with snow. 



Early in April, at day-break, immense flocks may be seen, 

 at considerable heights, flying westward from the dense pine- 

 forests of New Jersey. Their presence is announced by the 

 deafening and discordant cries which they emit almost con- 

 tinuously. They move with the utmost precision and regu- 

 larity, as though their movements were directed by leaders 

 of superior intelligence and fine executive abilities. Fifteen 

 years ago, the numbers which passed daily over the village 

 of Bustleton, in Philadelphia, were truly miraculous. It 

 was one continuous steady stream for more than an hour in 

 the morning, which, when evening approached, was renewed 

 in the opposite direction. During the past five or six years, 

 their numbers have surprisingly diminished. 



The range of the common Crow, although somewhat ex- 

 tensive, is surpassed by that of many other species. It 

 is found in great numbers in all the New England stairs, 

 from Texas to Florida, and from the Missouri River to Nova 

 Scotia. In summer, a few are found beyond the Great 

 Plains, and even migrate into Arctic latitudes. They have 

 been noticed as far north as the fifty-fifth parallel by Rich- 

 ardson ; at Cross Lake and at Lake Winnipeg by Kennicott ; 

 at Fort Rae by Clarke ; and on the Lower Anderson River, 

 they have been discovered breeding by Mr. MacFarlane. 

 In California, it rarely if ever occurs, according to Dr. Cooper. 



In the interior, it is exceedingly rare. Mr. Kidgway ob- 



