279 



ON THE HOODED CROW. 



BY EDWARD BLYTH. 



I am informed that, in some parts of the north of Scotland, nothing 

 is more common than to see the hooded crow {Corvus comix, Linn.) 



paired with a black crow. The gardener of Mr. , of Merton, a 



very intelligent naturalist and accurate observer, tells me that, when 

 residing in Inverness, he, for several successive years, observed five or 

 six crows' nests, the owners of each of which, in every instance, were 

 one black crow and one hooded crow, w„hich consequently he always con- 

 sidered to be merely the male and female of the same species. In the 

 south of England, the hooded crow is only seen during the winter 

 months ; and in the few instances which have come under my obser- 

 vation, I have noticed, that about an equal number of black crows have 

 always been interspersed among them. Some naturalists have even said 

 that there is no specific difference between the hooded crow (C. comix) 

 and the carrion crow (C. corone) ; the latter, however, is a stationary 

 species in the south of England, while the former is as constantly 

 migratory ; an obvious fact, by no means corroborative of their identity. 

 Mr. Selby, in his description of the hooded crow, remarks, that " some- 

 times this bird varies in colour, and is found entirely white or black : " 

 M. Temminck, also, makes the same observation, " Now are these black 

 crows varieties, or is the difference merely sexual ? " As to their being 

 of the carrion crow species, (C. corone,) I cannot for a moment sup- 

 pose it : several of the crow genus approximate most closely in size and 

 appearance, but are nevertheless most decidedly distinct. The North 

 American crow, for example, is so very similar in appearance to our 

 carrion crow, that, on the most careful and scrupulous comparison, 

 C. L. Bonaparte was not able to perceive the least difference between 

 them ; yet, nobody I should imagine, who has read Wilson's admirable 

 description of the habits of the American bird, could suppose it to be 

 identical with the common carrion crow of Europe. Is one sex of the 

 Corvus comix always black ? or are the black individuals of this species 

 mere varieties ? 



Tooting, Surrey, May IStk. 



