8282 



Birds. 



in the manner of a wheatear, never jerking it like a robin. He knocked it down by 

 throwing a stick at it, and afterwards caught it. We kept it alive a few days, and 

 thus had a good opportunity of watching its movements. It kept very much to the 

 bottom of the cage, and whenever disturbed would spread out its tail extremely wide. 

 I have now mounted it, and it makes a fine specimen. — Henry Pratt ; 44, Ship Street, 

 Brighton, October 18, 1862. 



Corvus americanus : Corvus cor one of Wilson. — No one the least conversant wiih 

 the notes of the two could fail to notice the difference between the American barking, 

 and the European croaking crow, though Wilson remarks, " The above description 

 agrees so nearly with the European species as to satisfy me that they are the same, 

 though the voice of ours is said to be less harsh, not unlike the barking of a small 

 spaniel." The fact is, its note or cry is so like the barking of a dog that the most 

 practised ear might be deceived, but like the snipe it may, according to Wilson, " be 

 partially changed by difference of climate." Wilson says "the eggs are four, of a 

 pale green colour, marked with numerous specks and blotches of olive," but Macgilli- 

 vray states that the eggs of the European crow " are from four to six, of a pale bluish 

 green, spotted and blotched with dark umber or clove-brown, and purplish gray.'' 

 Though I have taken the eggs of the American crow — five in number — I will not 

 venture to describe them ; nor can I compare them, having no eggs of the European 

 species, but Wilson's and Macgillivray's descriptions neither agree as to the colour or 

 number of the eggs. Though common it is by no means numerous in Upper Canada, 

 and is, if possible, still more shy and wary than the European species, so that I found 

 considerable difficulty in procuring a specimen, but havingrat last winged one, it ran 

 so swiftly to a heap of large stones, on which it mounted, that I had some trouble in 

 securing it. Its cries brought other crows within shot. Having taken it home and 

 amputated the wounded part of the wing, it was placed in a basket, but not until it 

 had dug its claws into my hand, and struck the cheek of a looker-on with its formid- 

 able beak. It is a very handsome bird in adult plumage, jet-black, with the exception 

 of the outer webs of the quills, and the tips of the feathers of the back, which have a 

 glossy bluish tinge. It is, I think, somewhat slighter and smaller than the European 

 crow, its length being but 19 inches. Extent of wings 39 inches. Wing from flexure 

 13 inches ; fourth quill longest ; fifth but 1-tenth shorter ; third 3-teuths shorter than 

 the fourth ; first 3 J inches shorter than the second. Bill arched and very long, 

 measuring 2 inches 9-tenths along the ridge ; from the gape 2£ inches. Upper man- 

 dible notched at 1^-tenth of an inch from the tip. The tail, which has twelve feathers, 

 is rounded, and 7f inches in length. Tarsus 2| inches. Thigh 3£ inches. Middle 

 toe 1^ inch, claw 6^-tenths; inner toe 1 inch 1-tenth, claw 6-tenths ; outer toe 

 1 inch 1-tenth, claw 5-tenths ; hind toe 1 inch, claw 8-tenths. Nostril nearly cir- 

 cular, quite concealed by the recurved feathers, some of which are 1 inch in length. 

 Eye black, about 3-tenths of an inch in diameter, It would thus appear that the 

 American crow not only differs from the European in voice but in size, and though a 

 smaller bird has the bill more elongated. — Henry Hadjield ; High Cliff, Ventnor, Isle 

 of Wight. 



The Cuckoo and the Gooseberry Grub.—l had always supposed that none of our 

 British wild birds would touch the larva of the sawfly, Nematus ventricosus, which has 

 for the last few years proved such a pest in our kitchen gardens, and which is vulgarly 

 called the gooseberry grub. Often and often have I watched the sparrows and various 

 warblers, in the anxious hope that I might detect them in the act of swallowing one 

 of these noxious insects, but I have always watched in vain. I have gathered hand- 



