254 



NOIITII AMEIU(;AN JIIIIDS. 



as the Hij,'lit of tlio latter is swifter, tliev are frequently uiisiiccessf»il in tliese 

 attempts at roliljery. This Crnw can eatcii liviny tish witli considerable 

 dexterity, Imt cannot feed while on tiie winj;. 



During the winter and early s])ring, Mr. Audnlmn states tliat tliese birds 

 feed on various kinds of berries, esiiecially those ol' the lle.r attinina and of 

 the common iiolly, and those of tlie exotic tallow-tree, now so coninion near 

 Ciiarleston (,Sti7/iiif/i(i si'J>iJ\rtt). In .fanuary and February tiiese trees are 

 much resorted to liy the Crows, who greedily devour their white and oily seeds. 



^Ir. Audul)on found these birds breeding generally on moderate-sized trees 

 of tlie loblolly-pine, buildin;'; their nests towards the extremities of the 

 branches, about twenty feet from the ground. The nests are smaller than 

 tiiose of the ("row, and are built of sticks, lined witii dry grasses and moss, 

 and neatly Hnislied with tine filtrous roots. The eggs are live or six in num- 

 ber, and resemlile those of the Crow, l)ut are smaller. 



Two eggs of this s^iecies, from St. Simon's Island, measure, one 1.50 

 in length by l.Kt in In'eadth, the otiier l.oii by 1.09. Their ground-color is 

 a ligiit blue with a .slight greenish tinge, marked over the entire egg with 

 small Idotches of a ligiit l)rown. An egg from (ireat Egg Harlior, obtained 

 by Wilson, from the old Teale Museum, and which may lie a faded specimen, 

 has no tinge of blue or green, but a ground of pinkish-gray, marked with 

 smaller blotclies and cloudings of dark drab. It measures 1.40 inches in 

 length by one inch iu breadth. 



Gknts PICICORVUS, Boxap. 



Pkicon-us, noxArAr.TK, Consi). Av. 1850. 384. (Type, Coreas cohnnJiianu/f, AViLs.) 



Ge.v. Char. LuiKloii-irray color, with lihick wiiifrs and tnil. Bill longpr than tlio hoad, 



considerably lonjrcr than the tarsii.^s, 

 attenuated, sliirhtly dcourvcil ; tip 

 without notch. Ciilnicn and coni- 

 niissnie cni'vcd ; {,'oiiy>i .^traiirht or 

 slightly coni'iivc, as lonj,' as the tarsi. 

 Nostrils circular, completely covered 

 by a I'liU tuft of iiuuinlieut white 

 bristly leathers. Tail much shorter 

 than the wiuirs, nearly even or 

 slitrhtly roinided. Winjjs pointed, 

 roachinjr to the tip of t.iil. Third, 

 fourth, and fit'th (piills loni.'<'st. Tarsi 

 short, scarcely loufrer than the mid- 

 dle toe, the hind toe and claw very 

 larpe. reachiuf; nearly to the middle 

 of the middle claw, the lateral ton 

 little shorter. A row of .«inall scales 

 on the middl(! of the sides of tarsus. 



/=- 



Pirititrftis rnUimhinnua. 



Color of the single species leadeii-gray, with black winfrs and tail. 



