FISH-CROW. 271 



The common note of the Fish-Crow is different from that of the other 

 species of the genus, resembling the syllables ha, ha, hae, frequently re- 

 peated. At times the sound of their voice seems as if a faint mimicry of 

 that of the Common Crow ; at others, one would suppose that they are 

 troubled with a cough or cold. During the breeding season, their notes 

 are much varied, and are not disagreeable. 



Their flight is strong and protracted. While searching for food, these 

 birds hover at a moderate height over the water ; but when they rise in 

 the air, to amuse themselves, they often reach a great elevation. While 

 on the ground, their movements are graceful, and resemble those of the 

 Boat-tailed Grakle. Like the other crows, they are fond of replacing 

 their wings, as it were, in their proper situations, frequently opening them 

 out a little, and instantly closing them again. 



On several occasions, when one of these birds had been wounded, I 

 found, on approaching it, that it had the power of disgorging its food 

 somewhat in the manner of the Turkey Buzzard. When one is thus 

 wounded, its companions come sailing over you, with a loud scream, in 

 the manner of gulls, so that several may be brought down by an expert 

 marksman, as they are not easily intimidated at such times. Indeed, this 

 species is easily approached, and may be killed without difficulty. I have 

 known fifteen of them shot at once, while feeding on the cassina berries. 



During winter, when they are chiefly frugivorous, they become extreme- 

 ly fat and very tender. Their pouch-like stomach, although large, is not 

 muscular ; the intestines are large and baggy. Very few are bare on the 

 lower mandible ; perhaps among a hundred which I have examined, not 

 more than six or seven exhibited this nakedness, without removing the 

 feathers of that part with the hand. 



I have represented a pair on a branch of the Honey-locust, already 

 figured in my first volume, but here represented with its matured fruit. 



CoRvus ossiFRAGUS, Ck, Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 57. 



Fish-Crow, Corvus ossifragus, Wik. Amer. Ornith. vol. v. p. 27. pi. 37. fig. 2. 



Nuttall, Manual, part i. p. 216. 



Adult Male. Plate CXLVI. Fig. 1. 



Bill longish, straight, robust, somewhat compressed ; upper mandible 

 with the dorsal line arched and declinate, the sides concave at the base, 

 flat in the middle, the edges slightly inflected, the tip declinate ; lower 



