THE FISH CROW. 363 



CORVUS OSSIFRAGUS. Wilson. 

 The Fish Crow. 



Corvus ossifragus, Wilson. Am. Orn., V. (1812) 27. Nutt. Man., I. (1832) 216. 

 Aud. Orn. Biog., II. (1834) 268; V. 479. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Fourth quill longest ; second rather longer than seventh ; first shorter than the 

 ninth; glossy-black, with green and violet reflections; the gloss of the belly 

 greenish. 



In this species the bill is shaped much as in the Common Crow, the upper outline 

 perhaps a little more convex ; the bristly feathers at the base of the bill reach 

 nearly half-way to the tip ; I find no bare space at the base of the lower mandible, 

 although the feathers are not quite so thick there as in the Common Crow; the 

 tarsus has eight transverse scutellae, and is decidedly shorter than the middle toe 

 with its claw ; the lateral claws do not reach within one-tenth of an inch of the base 

 of the middle claw. 



The wings are long and acute ; the fourth is longest ; next the third, fifth, second, 

 and sixth ; the first is about as long as the secondaries. 



Length, about fifteen and fifty one-hundredths inches ; wing, ten and fifty one- 

 hundredths inches; tail less than seven inches; tarsus shorter than the middle 

 toe and claw. 



Hab. South Atlantic (and Gulf?) coast. 



This bird is so extremely rare in New England, that it 

 can be regarded only as an occasional straggler. I under- 

 stand that it has been taken on Long Island, and, on one 

 or two occasions, in Connecticut, in company with the Com- 

 mon Crow. 



Audubon says of the habits of this species, 



" While on the St. John's River in Florida, during the month of 

 February, I saw flocks of Fish Crows, consisting of several hun- 

 dred individuals, sailing high in the air, somewhat in the manner 

 of the Raven. These aerial excursions would last for hours, 

 during the calm of a fine morning, after which the whole would 

 descend toward the water to pursue their more usual avocations in 

 all the sociability of their nature. When their fishing, which lasted 

 about half an hour, was over, they would alight in flocks on the 

 live oaks and other trees near the shore, and there keep up their 

 gabble, pluming themselves for hours. 



" The nest of this species is smaller than that of the Common 

 Crow, and is composed of sticks, moss, and grasses, neatly finished 



