364 BIRDS — CORVID^. 



Mr. Read says that it was frequent in 1853. Mr. Langdon states that a 

 specimen was taken September 3, 1879, near Marysville, Union county, 

 which is now in the collection of Dr, Buffington of that place. This is 

 the only record for several years. 



The nest of the Raven is placed in trees, sometimes on rocks. It is 

 composed of sticks, lined with hair, and is quite bulky. The eggs average 

 six in number, light-green in color, marked with dots and blotches of 

 purple and brown. They measure about two inches in length by one 

 and one-third in width. 



CORVUS AMERICANDS Aud. 



Common Cro-tv. 



Corvus corone, Kirtland, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 162. — Bead, Family Visitor, iii, 1853, 



327 ; Proc. Phila. Acad. Nat. Sci., vi, 1853, 395. 

 Corvus americanuB, Wheaton, Ohio Agric. Eep. for 1860, 367 ; Reprint, 1861, 9 ; Food of 



Birds, etc., Ohio Agrio. Rep. for 1874, 568; Reprint, 1875, 8.— Langdon, Cat. Birds 



of Cin., 1877, 10; Revised List, Journ. Cin. Soo. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 177; Reprint, 11; 



Summer Birds, ib., iii, 1880, 234. 

 Crow, KiRTLAND, Fam. Visitor, i, 1880, 1. — Ballou, Field and Forest, iii, 1878, 136. 



Corvus corone, WlLSOisr, Am. Orn., iv, 1811, 79. 



Corvus americanns, Audubon, Orn. Biog., ii, 1834, 317. 



Hahitat, Temperate North America, excepting, probably, most of the high central 

 plains and the southern Rocky Mountains, where the Raven abounds. 



Abundant. Resident in Southern, summer resident in Middle and 

 Northern Ohio; a few remain in Central Ohio during mild winters. 

 No one of our birds sufifers more from a bad reputation than the Crow, 

 yet none seem more likely to outlive their past notoriety. Hated and 

 pursued by every boy who can command a gun, their sagacity often proves 

 their only safety. In all places of this State they fear the gun or the 

 semblence of it, while a human being unarmed is looked upon with sus- 

 picion only. 



In the vicinity of Columbus, where, twenty years since they were abun- 

 dant, they are now, except when migrating, hardly common. Whether 

 this diminution in numbers is due to changes in environment, or from 

 causes acting directly upon the birds themselves is not known. Doubt- 

 less the removal of trees along rivers and creeks, in which they were 

 accustomed to roost, has assisted in lessening their numbers. It is 

 asserted that they were attacked by a disease resembling the "chicken 

 cholera," some fifteen years since, which decimated their ranks. But 

 neither of these causes seem to be sufficient. In most parts of the 

 State their numbers are undiminished. Mr. Read states that they were 

 increasing in numbers in Northern Ohio in 1863. 



