CATALOGUE. 
555 
" This species, though not so numerous as C. splendens, is yet very- 
abundant in the peninsula of India, and nearly equally troublesome 
and impudent. It partakes more readily than the latter of carrion, 
and, I think, the King Crow (JDicrurus macrocercus) appears to 
pursue it with greater hatred than the common Crow; so it probably 
occasionally pilfers their eggs or young." — (Jerdon.) 
"This is eminently a carrion Crow in its habits, and especially 
frequents the vicinity of the great rivers, being less confined than 
G. splendens to the immediate neighbourhood of human habitations." 
— (Blyth.) 
M. Sundevall remarks, that he "never observed this species in 
flocks about Calcutta, but only singly, or paired in spring. The note 
consists of a tolerably clear, rough TcraJi, hrdh, which is much hoarser 
and shorter than that of the European Crow, and more like the Rook's 
voice. The food consists of insects : in the stomach were found only 
larvsD and butterflies. I never observed it near corpses, which, how- 
ever, were to be obtained everywhere." 
" Occurs at Masuri throughout the year, and is very destructive 
to young fowls and pigeons. It breeds in May and June, and selects 
a tall tree, near a house or village, on which to build its nest, which 
is composed externally of dried sticks and twigs, and lined with grass 
and hair, which latter material it will pick from the back of horses 
and cows, or from skins of animals laid out to dry ; I have had skins 
of the Surrow {Capricornis hubalina) nearly destroyed from their 
depredations. The eggs are three or four in number, and of a dull 
green, thickly spotted over with long, and sometimes confluent, 
spots, and dashes of dusky brown or blackish : diameter 1^^ X 1 in." 
— (Captain Hutton.) 
" This Carrion Crow is everywhere common in Ceylon, being 
found inland as well as on the sea-coast. It is found in the deep 
forests where (7. splendens never appears ; and such is its acuteness 
of sight and scent, that though the wounded deer may retire to the 
most tangled brake to die, its covert is invariably revealed to the 
hunter by these crows, who, congregating in small parties on the 
surrounding trees, patiently wait till life is extinct to begin their 
repast, in company with the jackals and wild hogs. 
As soon as the Carrion Crow detects an animal lying on the 
ground, it utters a curious soft modulated ' caw,' wheeling in circles 
round the object of its curiosity, beating the air with heavy strokes, 
and then, joining the wings over the back, it sails down, and alights 
within a few feet of its hoped-for prey. These motions are known 
