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SPECIES 3. CORVUS COLUMBMNUS. 

 CLARK'S CROW. 

 [Plate XX. Fig. 2.] 



PEALE'S Museum, 'No. 1371. 



THIS species resembles, a little, the Jackdaw of Europe ( Cor- 

 vus monedula;} but is remarkable for its formidable claws, which 

 approach to those of the Falco genus; and would seem to inti- 

 mate, that its food consists of living animals, for whose destruc- 

 tion these weapons must be necessary. In conversation with 

 different individuals of Lewis and Clark's party, I understood 

 that this bird inhabits the shores of the Columbia, and the ad- 

 jacent country, in great numbers, frequenting the rivers and 

 seashore, probably feeding on fish; and that it has all the grega- 

 rious and noisy habits of the European species, several of the 

 party supposing it to be the same. 



The figure in the plate was drawn with particular care, after 

 a minute examination and measurement of the only preserved 

 skin that was saved; and which is now deposited in Peale's 

 Museum. 



This bird measures thirteen inches in length; the wings, the 

 two middle tail feathers, and the interior vanes of the next (ex- 

 cept at the tip) are black, glossed with steel blue; all the second- 

 aries, except the three next the body, are white for an inch at 

 their extremities, forming a large spot of white on that part, 

 when the wing is shut; the tail is rounded; yet the two middle 

 feathers are somewhat shorter than those adjoining; all the rest 

 are pure white, except as already described; the general colour 

 of the head, neck, and body, above and below, is a light silky 

 drab, darkening almost to a dove colour on the breast and belly; 



