UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 325 



utmost vigilance is unavailing to prevent, at least, a partial destruc- 

 tion of this their favourite grain. Like the stragglers of an immense, 

 undisciplined and rapacious army, they spread themselves over the 

 fields, to plunder and destroy wherever they alight. It is here that 

 the character of the Crow is universally execrated ; and to say to the 

 man who has lost his crop of corn by these birds, that Crows are ex- 

 ceedingly useful for destroying vermin.) would be as consolatory as to tell 

 him who had just lost his house and furniture by the flames, \hdX fires 

 are excellent for destroying bugs. Besides grain, insects and carrion, 

 the Crows feed on frogs, tadpoles, moles, mice, birds' eggs and 

 their young, small fish, lizards and shell fish; with the last they fre- 

 quently mount to a great height, dropping them on the rocks below, 

 and descending after them to pick up the contents. The same habit 

 is observable in the Raven, some species of Gulls, and the Sea-side 

 or Fish Crow. 



Fish Crow. This is another roving inhabitant of our coasts, ponds 

 and river shores; pretty numerous in some districts; though always 

 confounded with the foregoing, until Mr. Wilson introduced it as a 

 distinct species. Though having a general resemblance to his brother, 

 yet he appears not to possess his bad qualities. His food is chiefly 

 fish, and the animal matter that is found along the shores. The voice 

 of this species is very different from that of the Common Crow, being 

 more hoarse and guttural, and uttered as if something stuck in their 

 throat. They are smaller than the Common Crow, but of the same 

 colour. 



Mag/iie. This bird is much better known in Europe than in this 

 country, where it has not been long discovered ; although it is now 

 found to inhabit a wide extent of territory, and in great numbers. 

 The Magpie unites in its character courage and cunning, turbulence 

 and rapacity. Not inelegantly formed, and distinguished by gay as 

 well as splendid plumage, he has long been noted in those countries 

 where he commonly resides; and his habits and manners are there 

 familiary known. He is particularly pernicious to plantations of young 

 oaks, tearing up the acorns ; and also to birds, destroying great num- 

 bers of their eggs and young, even young chickens, partridges, grous 

 and pheasants. It is perhaps on this last account that the whole ven- 

 geance of the game laws has lately been let loose upon him, in some 

 parts of Britain ; as appears by accounts from that quarter, where pre- 

 miums, it is said, are offered for his head, as an arch poacher; and 

 penalties inflicted on all those who permit him to breed on their pre- 

 mises. 



Lewis and Clark's party first met with the Magpie near the great 

 bend of the Missouri, and found that the number of these birds in- 

 creased as they advanced. Pike observed them in immense numbers, 

 and was not a little incommoded by their pilfering and rapacity. " Our 

 horses," says he, "were obliged to scrape the snow away to obtain 

 their miserable pittance; and, to increase their misfortunes, the poor 

 animals were attacked by the magpies, who, attracted by the scent of 

 their sore backs, alighted on them, and in defiance of their wincing 

 and kicking, picked many places quite raw. The difficulty of pro- 

 curing food rendered these birds so bold as to light on our men's 

 arms, and eat meat out of their hands."* This species build their 

 nests in trees, and they are composed of small sticks, leaves, grass 



* Pike's Journal, p. 170. 

 Vol. II. T t 



