IN CAPTIVITY IN LOWER BENGAL. 173 



PAET II. 



(1) THE INDIAN HOUSE CEOW. 



(COEVUS SPLENDENS— Vieill) 

 Hindi — Katva. Bengali— Edk or Pdt-Kdk. 



The colour of the Indian house-crow varies a great deal • the 

 purple-blue reflexions of the black portions of the plumage are some- 

 times wanting, and the ashy-grey colour of the neck is much lighter in 

 some specimens than in others. The colour of the legs and bill also 

 varies : albinoid forms of crows are not uncommon. 



Rab.— The Indian house-crow is found all over India, ascending the 

 Himalayas to about 4,000 feet ; it also occurs in Burmah and Siam. 



Length of life in captivity. 



An albino specimen has been living in the garden since 1883. 



Treatment in health. 



Housing. — It is a hardy animal and thrives well in an ordinary 

 aviary; a bath is indispensable, especially during the hot weather. A 

 house- crow is not a desirable bird to keep in an aviary, as it cannot but 

 be a source of annoyance to others. 



Food. — In captivity it feeds on boiled rice, crumbs of bread, minced 

 meat and all scraps and remnants of food, being omnivorous in its 

 appetite. 



Breeding. — Indian house-crows have never bred in actual captivity 

 in the menagerie, but they breed freely in a semi-domesticated state 

 within the garden. _ They begin to build in February and March, and 

 generally select a high branch of a tree ; dry grass, straw, jute or other 

 soft materials being used in lining the nests, which are built of sticks • 

 in one instance a nest was discovered to be lined with feathers, which 

 the crows must have pecked off the back of an emu. The breeding* 

 season lasts from March to June or July : crows have been noticed to 

 carry sticks for building, even so early as the middle of February. 



Transport. — No special arrangement is necessary for the conveyance 

 of a hardy and common bird like this : it is much better to place at least 

 half a dozen of them in one cage or box, as singly, or in pairs, they may 

 pine ; guard also against fright and excitement. 



N othing is known about their ailments. 



Observations on the habits of a Common Crow. 



Although familiar and obtrusive when living in a semi-domesticated 

 state, it behaves exactly like any other thoroughly wild bird as soon as 

 restraint is put upon its liberty, and even after having been in 



