292 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



particular parts of the coast, a solitary bird would only be seen 

 during the past season. 



On the 3rd of January I observed nine Wild Swans flying up 

 the river. They had come in from the bay from a northerly 

 direction, and were evidently making direct for Lough Conn; 

 three birds, from their dark plumage, appeared like young birds 

 of the year, and their call was not like that of Whoopers, but 

 more like Bewick's. 



WINTER ROOSTING COLONIES OF CROWS.* 

 By C. L. Ed\vai:ds. 



Ckows constitute one of the most sagacious, gregarious, and 

 omnivorous genera of birds. Throughout their wide distribution 

 they form colonies which may be either small and of the family 

 nature, where the Crows do not migrate but live together 

 throughout the year, or of large aggregations, composed mainly 

 of migrants collecting together for the winter. In America 

 their winter colonies are found at or about 40° N. latitude along 

 the Atlantic coast and in the valley of the Mississippi. They 

 are so populous and so well organised, and their roosts so 

 permanent, that they afford one of the best fields for the 

 psychologist to study the manifestations of the social instinct. 

 Although various phases of their gregarious habit have been 

 recorded by a number of observers, there has hitherto been no 

 systematic attempt to present the topic as a whole, including 

 study of individual colonies, the number of colonies, with a 

 general conspectus of the American literature and legislation 

 upon the subject, such as is attempted in this preliminary report, 

 to be followed by more detailed study of special phases later. 



The importance of the topic for all interested in what, since 

 Palmen and Beard, might almost be -called the philosophy of 

 bird migration, or in the study of tbose remarkable social 

 organisations our knowledge of which has been so well compiled 

 by E spinas, and which has been so suggestive to so many writers, 

 or in the social organisations of mankind, is obvious. 



Although throughout New England and New York Crows are 



* From the 'American Journal of Psychology,' 1888, pp. 436 — 459. 



