CROW. 277 



varies from seven to nearly eight inches and a half; the bill 

 measures a trifle more than half an inch in height and from 

 two to two inches and a quarter in length ; the tarsus from 

 a little over two to a little over two inches and a third. 



In hoth forms the bill, legs and toes are black ; but in the 

 Grey Crow the claws are of a very dark horn-colour, while 

 in the Black Crow they are pure black : the irides are in 

 both of a dark greyish-brown. In the Black Crow the 

 whole plumage is entirely black, glossed above with violet 

 and green reflexions according to the light in which it is 

 viewed. In the Grey Crow the nape, back, rump and lower 

 parts of the body (except the black feathers covering the 

 tibio-tarsal joint) are of a smoky-grey, the shafts of most of 

 the feathers being dark slaty-grey or black, while all the 

 rest of the plumage is precisely as in the Black Crow ; but 

 the exact extent of grey varies in some degree, as also does 

 its shade, as before said. In both forms the young are 

 distinguished by the want of lustre on their feathers. 



Next as regards habits. If our view be limited by the 

 confines of the United Kingdom, two discrepancies are mani- 

 fest. First, that, while the Black Crow inhabits chiefly 

 more or less wooded country, the Grey Crow frequents moor- 

 land tracts both remarks referring to the breeding-season. 

 But directly we cross to Holland we find the Black Crow 

 nesting on the ground in open districts, while in Scandinavia 

 the Grey Crow frequents localities of the same kind as those 

 which the Black Crow affects with us. It seems not un- 

 reasonable, knowing that many of our treeless moors were 

 once covered with forest, to suppose that when first occupied 

 by the ancestors of the Grey Crows which now possess those 

 places, they did not so much differ as at present from the 

 woodland haunts of the Norwegian and Swedish birds. The 

 Grey Crow readily adapts itself to circumstances. It builds 

 its nest equally on the storm- swept cliffs of Shetland and on 

 the palms of sunny Egypt. There is accordingly no wonder 

 in its retaining its seat in Scotland or Ireland, though the 

 trees which once sheltered its fore-fathers have long since 

 been laid low. 



