amviDvE — Tiffc: cKows. 249 



This species is remlily (listin^iiislunl IVoin the eastern Fish Crow hy the 

 lar-i*'!' size ; the iihst'iite (»t" tiiveu <;h»s.s «>n the bellv ; tlie tarsi longer than 

 the niidtlle lot' and claw, instead of sliorter; and the second i|nill beinj^ 

 •generally shorter tlian the sixth instead of lunger, and cunsiderahly sliorter 

 than the cnlnien, instead of longer. 



It is rather to l>e eoni}»ared witii ('. oiinricaiius, with mIucIi it agrees in 

 colors, hnt from wliich it dilVers, essentially, in having the wing and tail 

 very niucii shorter, while tiie Itill is considerably longer, and in liaving the 

 tarsns shorter tlian the culnien, instead of longer, as in all the other North 

 Aniei'ican sj»ecies. In this last respect it agrees with (\ nir.iien/ui.-i (see 

 synopsis, p. 8U!'j of Western Mexico ; in this, however, the color and pro]H)r- 

 tions are (Mitirely ditlerent. 



Habits. This species a])])ears to hc^ confined to the seaboard of the Pa- 

 cific, from Alaska to C'alifoinia inclusive. Smaller than the common Crow, 

 in its more essential features it closelv resembles that bird, while in all its 

 habits it appears the exact counterpart of the Fish Crow, from which it is 

 spccitically and essentially distinct. 



It is found as far north as Sitka, several specimens having been ])rocured 

 at that ])oint by Mr. IMscholl. 



In the ojunicm of Dr. Suckley, the marked diflerences in the habits of 

 this species from those of the common Crow, even more than the great dif- 

 ference in size, sutticientlv mark them as entirely distinct. The western 

 Fish Crow^ is never wary or sus]>icious, like the common S])ecies, ]»ut in its 

 im})udent familiarity with man resenddes the Knglish Jackdaw, and hardly 

 learns to be shy even after having been annoyed with the gini. In Oregon 

 and Wa.'^hington Territory, he states, this Crow is very almndant, and is one 

 of the marked ornitludogical features of the country. The great abumlance 

 of fish, es])ecially of salmon, in both of these divisions, amjdy sujiplies this 

 species with fcuul. At Puget Sound it is abundant throughout the year. 

 During the winter it subsists ]>rincii)ally u])on the refuse food and oll'al 

 thrown out by the natives from their lodges, lie describes it as cunning, 

 but very tame and im])udent, allowing a very near a])})roach, and retiring l>ut 

 a short distance when i)ursued. Like the Raven and the Ilening Cull, these 

 birds aw in the habit of carrying clams high into the air and then dro])])ing 

 them, in order to l»rcak the shell. Dr. Sucklev observed one fruitlessly try- 

 ing to l)reak the sludl of a clam by letting it drop on soft ground. In this 

 eil'ort he persisted perseveringly as long as he was watched. 



Dr. Suckley found a nest <»f this s])ecies at Fort Dalles. It was situated 

 in a dense willow-thicket, near a lagoon on the C(dund)ia, and contained 

 three eggs. He describes them as about an inch and a half long and very 

 wide in their short diameter, of a dirty green ground with brown spots. 



Dr. Coo])er s])eaks of it as much more gregarious and familiar than the 

 common Crow, but otherwise rescMnblinix that bird in habits, bein«j: very saua- 

 cious, feeding ui)on abiKtst everything animal and vegetable, differing rather 



VOL. 11. '52 



