COUVID.K — THE CROWS. 251 



gathered in loiij::, continuous Hocks i'min tiio ncinhliorin^ iiclils, (lyinj^ riitlicr 

 high. All id once tlicy wouM dcsci-nd, willi /.i'^/.a'^ turns, to tlic low trees, 

 sportively chasing and pecking at one another, and ciiattering in the air. 



Air. dohn K. Lord, who enjoyiid an unusually good opiiortunity of comiiar- 

 ing the habits of our coiumon ('row with tliose of tliis spcM'ies, lias not tlic 

 sligiit&st doulit as to their disthictnes.s, though ,si» very lil^c in all essential 

 respecLs, as far as color, fv)rni of bill, and other details are concerned. The 

 smaller size of this liird, the dilference in voice, and their habit of building 

 with nmd a domed ne.st, suHicientiy demonstrate liicir dilference. Tiiis 

 Crow he found i)rinci])ally near the sea-coast; retiring to the trees at higli 

 tide, following out its elib and retreating before its Hood, tiuty feed on any 

 marine food they can iind. The caw of tliis s])ecies renunded him of liie 

 Jackdaws of Europe. During the brecding-.season they abandoned tiie coast, 

 from early May resorting liy i)airs to tlie interior. Selecting jiatclies of ojien 

 jmiirie, they build their nests in tiie busiies of tlie cral)-apiile or wild thorn, 

 and something in the manner of the Magjiie, arching over the toji with 

 sticks, with two (jjicfuings for entrance and e.\it on I'itiier side. The inside 

 is plastered with mud, and lined with a few loose gni.ss-stalks. The eggs he 

 found generally small, and of a ligiiter color than tIio.se of tlie comnion Crow. 

 After nesting, they return with their young to the .sea-coast, and remain in 

 large Hocks. During tiie iireeding-season tliey feed on small reptiles, fresli- 

 water mollusks, insects, grubs, etc. Mr. Lord noticed them capturing butter- 

 flies flying near tlieir nests. Their eggs range in nundier from five to seven. 



An egg of this species from Sitka measures 1.G2 inclics in lengtii by 1.V2 

 in breadth. It is of an olilong-oval siia|ie, jiointed at one end. The ground- 

 color is a light sea-green, with marks and blotches of olive-brown, of varying 

 size and different shades. 



CorvTis ossifragus, Wilson. 



FISH CBOW. 



Corrit.1 (it.^ii/rdfiiis, AVii.son, Am. (>ni. V, ISTJ, 27, pi. xxxvii, f. '2. — P>(i\. Olis. Wil.s. lS2,"i, 

 No. :!0. — 111. Syii. 182S, :")?. — lit. ('(mspcMtiis. IS.'.O, 385. — W.vci.r.i:, Syst. Avium, 

 1827, (^iirvun, No. 12. — Nrn'Ai.i,, Man. I, l,s;!2, 21«. — Art). Oni. Hioj,'. II, lb\M, 

 2tlS ; V, 470, pi. cxlvi. — III. Svii. 18;i!t, l.'.l. — In. liinls Am. IV, 1812, 04, pi. 

 I'cx.wi. — liAiitii, liinls N. Am. 1858, 571, pi. Ixvii, 1'. 2. — S.VMria.s, 363. — Allkn, 

 H. E. Flu. 207. 



Si'. Cii.Mi. Fmirtli ipiill loiiircst ; .■iccond Mitjicr loiifrcr tli.an sovcnlli ; lirst .■^liortiT I'aaii 

 the liiiilli. filds.sy liliicU. with i^rccu mid violet rcllcctions : tlie i^-lnss of the lielly 

 pri'oiii.-iii. licni^tli, iilidiit ir)..")(); wiiiL', 10.50; tail, less tliaii 7.00; tarsus shorter than 

 tilt! midille tue and daw. 



IIaii. Atlantic coast, IVoni New Jersey to Florida. 



The Fish Crow of the Atlantic States is readily distingui.=!hablo from the 

 common Crow by the much snniller size (IG inches instead of 2i); M-iiig, 



