4208 The Zoologist — November, 1874. 



exceedingly numerous in the neighbourhood of Shoreham and 

 Brighton, and the carrion crow is, in its turn, equally scarce. 

 I may add that my subsequent observations have proved the above 

 remarks to be correct, and that they have been corroborated by the 

 testimony of others whose attention I had drawn to the subject." 



I cannot conclude these observations without saying how 

 acceptable will be the record of any facts bearing on this question ; 

 they will have a wider application than appears at first sight, for 

 if it can be proved that one species of Corvus is dimorphic, possibly 

 it may lead to the detection of similar dimorphism in other species. 

 The nutcracker, raven, and many others must be treated with a 

 minute investigation. 



The hooded, as regards his relationship to the carrion, crow has 

 not received that strict examination which he seems to deserve ; a 

 number of questions respecting him require and almost demand 

 solution ; but the subject is unattractive, and the mode of carrying 

 out the inquiry tedious and troublesome. I would suggest these 

 points: — 1. Describe the position and materials of the nest. 

 2. Describe the eggs of each species, and differentiate them. What 

 is the period of incubation in each species .? 3. Enumerate the 

 reports in which you have heard of the two species pairing together, 

 and investigate the authenticity of such reports. 4. State whether 

 the carrion crow in such cases is male or female. 5. State minutely 

 the difference of food, if any. 6. State minutely any anatomical 

 differences. It has always appeared to me that the chief differences 

 consist in colour and in the greater or less propensity to migration. 

 In Shetland the carrion crow is comparatively rare, and is, more- 

 over, confounded by the inhabitants with the rook. On the breeding 

 habits of the hooded crow Dr. Saxby has the following remarks: — 



" The hooded crow seems to take no small pains to place the nest so that 

 it shall be easily accessible to man. I am by no means a good climber, but I 

 never saw more than one of these nests that was beyond my reach. The 

 most singular looking nest which has yet come under my notice was that of 

 a hooded crow. The upper part was, as usual, composed of large sea-weed 

 stalks, &c., hued with wool, feathers, moss and hair; but this was built upon 

 a substantial foundation of bones of ponies and sheep, collected in such 

 quantities that the mass measured nearly a j-ard across, and in one part a 

 foot in depth. Many of the bones were of so large a size that it is difficult 

 to imagine how they could have been carried. Nor did the peculiarity end 

 here. In my early walks along shore I had at various times collected a 



