380 HISTORY OF THE 



scarcity he falls upon carrion, and has been known to venture 

 into the barn, through accidental openings; when, as if sensible 

 of the danger of purloining, he is active and silent, and if sur- 

 prised, postponing his garrulity, he retreats with noiseless pre- 

 cipitation, and with all the cowardice of a thief. The worst 

 trait of his appetite, however, is his relish for the eggs of other 

 birds, in quest of which he may frequently be seen prowling, 

 and with a savage cruelty he sometimes also devours the callow 

 young, spreading the plaint of sorrow and alarm wherever he 

 flits. The whole neighboring community of little birds assemble 

 at the cry of distress, sometimes, however, succeeding in driving 

 off the ruthless plunderer, who, not always content with the 

 young, has been seen to attack the old, though with dubious 

 success; but to the gallant and quarrelsome Kingbird he submits 

 like a coward, and driven to seek shelter, even on the ground, 

 from the repeated blows of his antagonist, sneaks off well con- 

 tented to save his life." 



Their nests are placed on branches, near the trunks or bodies 

 of trees and bushes, in the forests, and in the vicinity of dwel- 

 lings, six to thirty feet from the ground. They are rudely com- 

 posed of small sticks, roots and various kinds of material at hand, 

 strongly interwoven, and lined with fine rootlets. Eggs four 

 or five, l.lOx. 82; olive, sparingly spotted with drab and olive 

 brown; in form, ovate. 



SUBFAMILY COKVIN^E. CROWS. 



"Wings long and pointed; longer than the tail, and, when closed, reaching 

 nearly to its tip, extending far beyond the under tail coverts; the third, fourth 

 and fifth quills forming the tip of the wing." 



GENUS CORVUS LINN^US. 



"The nasal feathers lengthened, reaching to or beyond the middle of the bill. 

 Nostrils large, circular, overhung behind by membrane, the edges rounded else- 

 where. Kictus without bristles. Bill nearly as long as the tarsus, very stout; 

 much higher than broad at the base; culmen much arched. Wings reaching 

 nearly or quite to the tip of the tail, the outer four primaries sinuated internally. 

 Tarsi longer than the middle toe, with a series of small scales on the middle of 

 each side separating the anterior scutellate portion from the posterior continu- 

 ous plates. Sides of the head occasionally with nearly naked patches. Tail 

 graduated or rounded." 



