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cassell's book of birds. 



manner of a Falcon, its elegance cannot fail to please the eye of the beholder, who may trace its 

 course for a considerable distance as its snowy breast sparkles and gleams in the direct rays of the 

 sun. When upon the ground its gait is very easy and dignified ; its voice resembles that of the 

 Raven. Wherever these birds make their abode they are soon on excellent terms with the human 

 inhabitants, and rarely exhibit any fear of man, except when entirely unaccustomed to his appearance ; 

 they are regular visitors to some of the villages upon the coast, and will sometimes perch upon the 

 straw huts of the natives. The eyrie of the Scapulated Raven is usually placed upon a tree. The 

 eggs, four or five in number, are laid during the first month of the rainy season ; in appearance they 

 resemble those of the rest of the family. The parents are much attached to their young, and 

 will dart like Falcons upon any stranger who may approach the nest. These birds are disliked by 

 the natives, on account of their unclean habits, and their flesh is never employed as food. 



THE CARRION CROW (Coitus corona). 



The CROWS (Corvus) axe. distinguished from the Ravens by the comparative smallness of their 

 beaks, by their rounded tails, and their lax and dull plumage. Two species are common in Europe — 



THE CARRION CROW AND THE HOODED CROW. 



The Carrion Crow (Corvus corona) and the Hooded Crow (Corvus comix), are so alike in 

 size and general formation, that if they were denuded of feathers it would be difficult to distinguish 

 between them. They will frequently pair together, and both have been the subject of endless 

 disputes as to whether they are slight varieties of the same species, or quite distinct from each other. 



The Carrion Crow is entirely black, with a violet or purple lustre on its feathers, and brown 

 eyes. The young are pale black, and their eyes grey. The plumage of the Hooded Crow, on the 

 contrary, is only black upon the head, front of throat, wings, and tail ; the rest of the body is ash 

 colour. The young are of a dirty deep grey. The length of both these birds is from eighteen to 



