CHAPTER III. 



January 8 January 14. 



THE AMERICAN CROW. 



Order, Passeres Suborder Oscines 



Family, Corvidae Subfamily Corvinse. 



Genus, Corvus Species, Corvus americanus 



Length 18.50 to 19.50; wing, 13.00 to 13.50; tail, 6.90 to 8.00. 

 Permanent Resident. 



"I hear no more the robin's song 



Through the gay network of the wintry woods; 



Only the cawing crows that all day long 

 Clamor about the wintry solitudes." 



The family Corvidse, composed of the crows, jays and 

 magpies, contains about two hundred species, and members of 

 it are found in all parts of the world except New Zealand. Au- 

 dubon first separated the American crow from the European 

 species and gave to it its distinguishing name, Corvus ameri- 

 canus. It is one of the best known birds. Its bill is about two 

 inches long, of a black color, strong and compressed ; the upper 

 mandible is a little convex and the lower one straight. The 

 head is large, and the wltiole form of the bird is compact and 

 graceful. The iris is full and of a brown color. The legs are 

 strong and of moderate length, and the bird has a noble car- 

 riage when walking. In flight the wings have a serrated ap- 

 pearance. The plumage is of a deep black color, with purplish 

 blue reflections, and tinged with purplish brown on the back of 

 the neck. The female is slightly less glossy than the male 

 and a trifle smaller. 



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