THE HOODED CROW. 



Coj'vus comix, Linnaeus. 

 Plate 21. 



This species, also known as the Grey or Royston Crow, is a common autumn 

 and winter visitant to England, being more numerous in the eastern counties, 

 where it may be seen from September to April ; although its wanderings extend 

 to many inland districts in England, it is but seldom found in Wales. There is 

 little doubt that these winter visitors to our shores come from Northern Europe. 

 In Scotland the Hooded Crow is a resident, being plentiful all along the western 

 coast and islands, as well as in the northern districts, while it is not uncommon 

 among the deer-forests of the central Highlands. It also nests in the Isle of 

 Man. In Ireland this species is plentiful and remains throughout the year. 

 Abroad it is found over a great part of Europe, principally in the northern and 

 eastern portions, ranging through Siberia to the Yenesei, and either this or a 

 closely related race is resident in some of the Mediterranean islands, Egypt, 

 and Palestine. 



The nest, constructed of the same materials as that of the Carrion-Crow, is 

 built in a tree or on a rocky cliff, while the colour and markings of the four 

 or five eggs are exactly like those of the latter bird. According to Professor 

 Newton (Yarrell's British Birds) the two species only differ in their colour, 

 their habits, voice, and nidification being precisely alike, but Lord Lilford 

 and other authorities have noted a distinct difference in their cries. There is no 

 question, as mentioned before in the article on the Carrion-Crow, that in places 

 where the two species overlap they interbreed, and hybrids in intermediate states 

 of plumage have often been obtained. 



The Hooded Crow, like its congeners, lives on eggs, young or wounded 

 birds, carrion of all kinds, and on the deer-forests feeds largely on the offal left 

 on the hill or in the burns after a stag has been killed. It haunts the sea- 

 shore to obtain any dead fish left by the tide, and may often be seen there 

 stalking about in its sedate manner, in company with gulls and other shore 

 birds, occasionally giving a little quick sidelong hop when any titbit attracts 

 its notice. It has the habit, in common with the Carrion-Crow, of getting at 

 the contents of the larger shell-fish by rising to a height and dropping them 

 on a stone. Owing to its marauding habits it is trapped, shot, and destroyed 

 on every possible occasion by gamekeepers and others ; nevertheless it seems 

 able to hold its own. 



The colours of the male and female are alike. 



