on the Birds of South-Eastern China. 25 



Trypanocorax pastinator. 



The Eastern Rook occurs in tlie winter mouths near 

 Wuchau, usually in association with Corvus tor(juatus. It 

 is always in small flocks. Seven of these birds were seen 

 below Wuchau on July 27th, and had either come south or 

 were not breeding-birds. From April 22ad until May 2nd 

 a small flock was at Wuchau, This species has been also 

 sceu at Howlik. 



Corvus torquatus. 



TIjc Collared Crow is a common bird throughout the 

 districts treated of in this article, but, curiously enough, is 

 never found far away from water^ either salt or fresh. 



The food of this species consists of various forms of 

 carrion, and includes defunct fctnale babies (which are not 

 very uncommon in China), fish, and the more easily obtain- 

 able forms of marine raoUusca. 



Like other Crows, the sexes pair for life and may be seen 

 going about together in the autumn and winter. 



During the Aviuter months this bird, like the Rook, 

 selects certain favoured roosting-places, and to these, at the 

 close of the day, large numbers may be seen winging their 

 May from the feeding-grounds. 



The nest, which is small for the size of the bird, is 

 composed externally of sticks or mulberry-canes, on which 

 is laid a layer of mud or clay, and on that again a good 

 thick felt of rags, fur, buflalo-hair, pandanus fibre, pine- 

 needles, and so forth, forming a deep and warm cavity for 

 the reception of the eggs. 



The nest is preferably placed in an evergreen tree for its 

 better protection, the Collared Crow being a very early 

 builder, but it has been found in a bamboo amongst those 

 of a colony of Night-Herons, and also in a fir-tree. Up the 

 North River this bird has become a clifl'-builder, nesting on 

 ledges of rocks which overhang the stream. When placed 

 in a tree near a Kite's nest, the possessors of the latter 

 persecute the Crows unmercifully, as if they suspected them 

 of egg-stealing. 



