CROW. 319 
the contrary, he is branded as a thief and a plundere —a kind of 
black-coated vagabond, who hovers over the fields of the industrious, 
fattening on their labors, and, by his voracity, often blasting their 
expectations. Hated as he is by the farmer, watched and persecuted 
by almost every bearer of a gun, who all triumph in his destruction, 
had not Heaven bestowed on him intelligence and sagacity far beyond 
common, there is reason to believe that the whole tribe (in these parts 
at least) would long ago have ceased to exist. 
The Crow is a constant attendant on agriculture, and a general 
inhabitant of the cultivated parts of North America. In the interior 
of the forest he is more rare, unless during the season of breeding. 
He is particularly attached to low flat corn countries, lying in the 
neighborhood of the sea, or of large rivers; and more numerous in 
the northern than southern states, where Vultures abound, with whom 
the Crows are unable to contend. A strong antipathy, it is also said, 
prevails between the Crow and the Raven, insomuch, that where the 
latter is numerous, the former rarely resides. Many of the first 
settlers of the Genesee country have informed me, that, for a long 
time, Ravens were numerous with them, but no Crows; and even now 
the latter are seldom observed in that country. In travelling from 
Nashville to Natchez, a distance of four hundred and seventy miles, I 
saw few or no Crows, but Ravens frequently, and Vultures in great 
numbers. 
The usual breeding time of the Crow, in Pennsylvania, is in March, 
April, and May, during which season they are dispersed over the 
woods in pairs, and roost in the neighborhood of the tree they have 
selected for their nest. About the middle of March they begin to 
build, generally choosing a high tree; though I have also known them 
prefer a middle-sized cedar. One of their nests, now before me, is 
formed externally of sticks, wet moss, thin bark, mixed with mossy 
earth, and lined with large quantities of horse hair, to the amount of 
more than half a. pound, some cow hair, and some wool, forming a 
very soft and elastic bed. The eggs are four, of a pale green color, 
marked with numerous specks and blotches of olive. 
During this interesting season, the male is extremely watchful, mak- 
lous examination and comparison of European and American specimens proved 
them to be the same,”’ are the words of Bonaparte in his Nomenclature to Wilson ; 
and Corvus corone is quoted as the name and synonym to this species in the 
Northern Zoology, from a male killed on the plains of the Saskatchewan. 
This is one of the birds I have yet been unable to obtain for comparison with 
European specimens, and it may scem presumption to differ from the above au- 
thorities, without’ever having seen the bird in question. I cannot, nevertheless, 
reconeile Wilson’s account of the difference of habits and ery to those of Britain and 
Europe. It seems a species more intermediate between the Common Rook, C. 
frugilegus, and the C. corone; their gregarious habits, and feeding so much on 
grain, are quite at variance with the Carrion Crow ; Wilson’s account of the Crow 
roost on the Delaware is so different, that, as far as habit is concerned, it is impos- 
sible to refer them to one; and pou some allowance might be made for the di- 
versity of habit in the two countries, I do not see in what manner the cry of the 
bird should be so distinctly affected as to be remarked by nearly all authors who 
have mentioned them. : 
Burns’s line in the Cottar’s Saturday Night alludes certainly to the Common 
Rook ; and he, Ian sure, knew the difference between a Crow and a Corbie. — Ep. 
