THE OOLOGIST. 



55 



Peculiarities in the Migrations of 

 Crows. 



( Corvus ainericana.) 



BY W. II. BALLOU. 



T the juuction of the Ohio and Missis- 

 sippi rivers, there are two species of | 

 birds during the winter season 

 which, more especially than others, assem- 

 ble in vast flocks, and appear abundantly | 

 able to procure the necessaries of life. Each ' 

 species claims its special side of the river, ^ 

 and is rarely seen, at any time, upon the 

 other. Of these, the Robin predominates 

 on the Kentucky side, and the Crow in 

 Missouri. Eastern Missouri, too, seems 

 in a better condition to sustain Crow life 

 than elsewhere. Here are vast i;orn-fields 

 in winter-time, the stalks of which are un- 

 gathered. The Missourian appears to have 

 no use for them, and consequently they are 

 allowed to remain standing with a goodly 

 percentage of the ears on them. Amid these 

 fields the Crow may pluck an honest living. 

 Upon the tall and weather-toughened stalks 

 they may rest at night and feed by day. 



In early morning the sleeper is awakened 

 by a vast discordant roar of cawing, screech- 

 ing, and other harsh sounds. Rising to find 

 out the cause of such disturbance, the spec- 

 tator sees the very heavens blackened with 

 Crows as far as the eye can penetrate. As- 

 cending, circling and vibrating, the multi- 

 tudinous throng reels to and fro, as if in 

 praise to God, or yet to generate an appe- 

 tite for breakfast. The Crow seems here 

 to partake of the habits of his associate the 

 Vulture, for often during the day they are 

 seen together in cliques, in common part- 

 nership with dogs, pigs, &c., busily snarl- 

 ing over water or weather toughened car- 

 casses of long dead beasts, fishes or reptiles. 

 Nor does southern Illinois completely es- 

 cape invasion of these hordes of visitors. 

 The remains of the donkey, at rest upon the 

 field, are vigorously attacked by the carrion 

 fiends, regardless of his toughened constitu- 

 tion, or the condensed state of the cross- 

 grained, leather-like propensities of his flesh, 



imtil the bones are faithfully whitened by 

 winter rains* and frosts and sun heat. 



Following these birds in their spring mi- 

 grations north w-ard, we find them on the 

 shores of our Great Lakes in supreme be- 

 wilderment at the waste of water before 

 them. Here, then a hesitancy occurs, which 

 usually lasts for a period of three days be- 

 fore they are encouraged to pursue their 

 migration to the opposite side. Standing 

 on the shores of Lake Ontario, in a central 

 portion, say in Mexico Bay, the observer 

 watches with peculiar interest, the stream 

 of black objects that seem to swarm past 

 toward the east, seeming to hold harsh 

 conversation on the prospects of a safe flight 

 across. In course of a day, possibly, most 

 of them, still fearful, are seen wending their 

 way back in quest of unexplored regions for 

 passage across, Avhich, no doubt is finally 

 effected at Niagara river, and various nar- 

 row passages. Investigation disclosed thht 

 during this wandering, they were not in 

 quest of fish or other food, as the period of 

 migration occurs before the departure of 

 the ice from the Lake, and they are seldom 

 known to alight or eat while on these flights. 

 Evidently, then, the breadth of the water, 

 the uncertainty of getting safely aci'oss, and 

 ; the dread of encountering storms upon the 

 Lake with no choice of alighting, causes 

 bewilderment and subsequent search for a 

 narrow crossing. The arrival on the Can- 

 I ada shores is celebrated with vociferous 

 i cawing and demonstrations of rejoicing. 

 I Then occurs a general raid on Canadian 

 I winter grain fields by these — shall we say 

 i Fenians? Not so, else our neighbors cross 

 I boundaries to punish the idvaders. 



*Snow at this point is a limited curiosity. 



It is now a good time to take notes on 

 the migrating birds in different localities. 

 If strict observation is made of the flocks 

 that pass over all portions of the country, 

 collectors will be surprised to find that many 

 species cross their territory which had never 

 before been suspected to occur. 



