Corvus and Cornix. 233 



were always busily engaged in observing birds 

 (and it were to be wished that they had observed 

 them to some better purpose), clearly distinguished 

 corvus and comix. 1 So also did Pliny, 2 in the 

 following curious passage: "The corvus lays its 

 eggs before midsummer, and is then in bad con- 

 dition for sixty days, up to the ripening of the 

 figs in autumn : but the comix begins to be dis- 

 ordered after that time." Virgil also uses the 

 words for two distinct species ; his cornix is 

 solitary 



Turn cornix plena pluviam vocat improba voce 

 Et sola in sicca secum spatiatur arena ; 3 



while corvus is gregarious, as is shown in the 

 following memorable description of Nature and 

 of the birds taking heart after the storm has 

 passed : 



Turn liquidas corvi presso ter gutture voces 

 Aut quater ingeminant, et saepe cubilibus altis, 

 Nescio qua praeter solitum dulcedine laeti, 



1 Cic. de Div. i. 29. 2 N. H. x. 32. 



3 Then the crow 



With full voice, good-for-nought, inviting rain, 

 Stalks on the dry sand mateless and alone. Georg. i. 388. 



