53 



sea at Findlater Castle, overlooking the Moray Firth ; they were comparatively tame, and allowed 

 me to approach within 20 yards. Having in former years seen similar flocks alighting on the 

 coast of Dunbar, in Haddingtonshire, I conjectured that they were migratory flocks and had 

 just arrived from Norway and Sweden. Judging, however, from the comparatively limited 

 numbers that are found breeding in the eastern counties, I suspect that on the breaking up of 

 these flocks numbers return to the counties from which they had migrated." Mr. Dewar 

 informed Mr. More that he had seen it in the Outer Hebrides during the breeding-season ; 

 but Dunn states that it neither occurs in the Orkneys nor in Shetland. In Ireland it is found 

 comparatively rarely, being much less common than in England. 



It does not occur in Greenland ; and it appeal's very doubtful if it has ever been met with in 

 Iceland ; but on the Faeroes it is said to occur, though rarely. It has not been recorded from any 

 part of Norway ; and though said to have been met with some years ago in Sweden, I am 

 informed by Mr. Meves that all the older records of its occurrence in that country are open to 

 grave doubts; but Rector Bruzelius wrote to him that on the 8th August, 1873, one was shot 

 on the coast close to Ystad, and is now in the Gymnasium Museum there. Mr. Meves doubts 

 if it has ever been found breeding in Sweden, and thinks that the egg referred to by Nathusius 

 (J. f. O. 1874, pp. 12 & 25, no. 4) did not come from that country. I never saw it in Finland 

 during the time I lived there; and Alexander von Nordmann states (J. f. O. 1864, p. 365) that 

 he only once saw an individual of this species consorting with Hooded Crows, on the 4th June, 

 1856, near Kexholm. 



In Russia it appears to be far rarer than the Hooded Crow, but is met with as far north as 

 Archangel. Sabanaeff says that it is rare in the interior of Russia ; he observed it twice in the 

 province of Jaroslaf. He also met with it once in the Pavdinska Dacha, in the Ural ; but it has 

 been observed in the Perm Government in various parts. Teplouhoff shot two in the Perm 

 district. According to Eversmann it occurs rarely in the Government of Kazan, and it has been 

 met with in that of Orenburg. As before stated, it occurs in Jaroslaf; and Falk met with it in 

 the province of Isetsk. 



In North Germany it is much rarer in the eastern than in the western parts, the Elbe being 

 about the dividing line between it and Corvus comix, this latter being common to the eastward, 

 whereas C. corone is the species found breeding to the westward. Mr. Benzon informs me that 

 " it occurs sporadically in all the Danish provinces, but is on the whole a rare bird, though 

 common enough in the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, in which former district it is found 

 together with our common Hooded Crow, with which it occasionally breeds, and produces hybrids; 

 but in Denmark," he adds, " these latter are exceedingly rare, and I possess but one specimen, a 

 male shot in February this year (1875) in South Seeland." This bird Mr. Benzon describes as 

 having the head, neck, and throat jet-black ; the wings, back, and tail black, with metallic gloss, 

 and on the back of the neck and shoulders intermixed with grey ; abdomen grey ; under tail- 

 coverts black, with dark grey margins ; tail rounded, the outer feathers shorter than the closed 

 wings ; bill equal in length to the middle toe (56 millims.) ; total length 50 centimetres ; bill 

 and legs black ; iris dark brown. Mr. Carl Sachse informed me that it is common and resident 

 near Altenkirchen, in Rhenish Prussia, but is more numerous in the spring and autumn than at 

 other seasons, as large numbers pass and repass to and from their breeding-haunts. It breeds 



