29 



CLARK'S CROW. 

 CORVUS COLUMBIANUS, 

 [Plate XX.— Fig. 2.] 



Peale's Museum, No. 1371. 



THIS species resembles, a little, the Jackdaw of Europe 

 (Corvus Monedula) ; but is remarkable for its formidable claws, 

 which approach to those of the Falco genus ; and would seem to 

 intimate that its food consists of living animals, for whose destruc- 

 tion these weapons must be necessary. In conversation with dif- 

 ferent individuals of the party, I understood that this bird inhabits 

 the shores of the Columbia, and the adjacent country, in great 

 numbers, frequenting the rivers and sea shore, probably feeding 

 on fish ; and that it has all the gregarious and noisy habits of the 

 European species, several of the party supposing it to be the same. 



The figure in the plate was drawn with particular care, after 

 a minute examination and measurement of the only preserved skin 

 that was saved ; and which is now deposited in Mr. Peale's Mu- 

 seum. 



This bird measures thirteen inches in length ; the wings, the 

 two middle tail feathers, and the interior vanes of the next (except 

 at the tip) are black, glossed with steel blue ; all the secondaries, 

 except the three next the body, are white for an inch at their ex- 

 tremities, forming a large spot of white on that part, when the 

 wing is shut; the tail is rounded; yet the two middle feathers are 

 somewhat shorter than those adjoining; all the rest are pure white, 

 except as already described ; the general color of the head, neck, 

 and body above and below, is a light silky drab, darkening almost 

 to a dove color on the breast and belly ; vent white ; claws black, 



VOL. III. H 



