FISH-CROW. 183 



reeds and marshes, to roost; while the Fish-Crow, always a little 

 before sunset, seeks the interior high woods to repose in. 



In my journey through the Mississippi Territory, last year, 

 I resided for some time at the seat of my hospitable friend, Dr. 

 Samuel Brown, a few miles from Fort Adams, on the Missis- 

 sippi. In my various excursions there among the lofty fragrance- 

 breathing magnolia woods, and magnificent scenery, that adorn 

 the luxuriant face of nature in those southern regions, this species 

 of Crow frequently made its appearance, distinguished by the 

 same voice and habits it had in Georgia, There is in many of 

 the ponds there, a singular kind of lizard, that swims about with 

 its head above the surface, making a loud sound, not unlike the 

 harsh jarring of a door. These the Crow now before us would 

 frequently seize with his claws, as he flew along the surface, and 

 retire to the summit of a dead tree to enjoy his repast. Here I 

 also observed him a pretty constant attendant at the pens, where 

 the cows were usually milked, and much less shy, less suspicious 

 and more solitary, than the common Crow. In the county of 

 Cape May, New Jersey, I again met with these Crows, partic- 

 ularly along Egg-Harbour river; and latterly on the Schuylkill 

 and Delaware, near Philadelphia, during the season of shad and 

 herring fishing, viz. from the middle of March till the begin- 

 ning of June. A small party of these Crows, during this period, 

 regularly passed Bartram's gardens, to the high woods, to roost, 

 every evening a little before sunset, and as regularly returned 

 at or before sunrise every morning, directing their course to- 

 wards the river. The fishermen along these rivers also inform 

 me, that they have particularly remarked this Crow, by his 

 croaking voice, and his fondness for fish; almost always hover- 

 ing about their fishing places, to glean up the refuse. Of their 

 manner of breeding I can only say, that they separate into pairs, 

 and build in tall trees, near the sea or river shore; one of their 

 nests having been built this season in a piece of tall woods, near 

 Mr. Beasley's, at Great Egg-Harbour. The male of this nest 

 furnished me with the figure in the plate, which was drawn of 

 full size, and afterwards reduced to one-third the size of life, to 



