560 
CATALOGUE. 
A. b. Dukhun. Presented by Colonel Sykes. 
c. Himalaya. From Dr. Royle's Collection. 
d. e. Kumaon. Presented by Captain R. Strachey. 
f. Melanoid var. Tenasserim. From Heifer's Collection. 
"This is tbe common Crow of India, and is an abundant, very 
noisy, familiar, and impudent species, frequenting the vicinity of 
human abodes, alike in the villages and in the crowded streets of 
large towns. About the latter, they walk and hop like domestic 
birds, wherever food is to be picked up, just stepping aside out of 
the way of the passers-by, and regardless of the ordinary throng; 
but they still retain all the craft and wariness of their tribe, and are 
ever vigilant, making off on the least suspicious movement, or even 
on the fixed glance of a stranger : they require but small encourage- 
ment, however, to be most troublesomely bold, and do not always 
wait for such encouragement, peeping into dwelling-rooms, cawing 
loudly the while, passing through them by different windows, and, if 
opportunity offers, making free with anything that attracts them by 
the way. Though highly social, this Crow is not properly gregarious, 
like the Eook and Jackdaw of England, and does not build in society, 
resembling the C. Cor one in this respect, though, from its common- 
ness, two or three pairs may sometimes resort to the same large tree. 
Their noise, from the multitude of them, is incessant, and if anything 
(as the sight of a dead Crow) excite them, is most uproarious and 
annoying ; they are about too, from the earliest dawn till late in the 
evening, and are far from being quiet on moonlight nights. Eager, 
busy, and bustling, their flight is always singularly hurried, as if 
time were a matter of some consequence to them ; and, in short, 
every trait of the Crow tribe is prominently developed in this species. 
The report of a gun excites a grand commotion among the com- 
munity of Crows ; they circle and cross rapidly to and fro overhead, 
for the most part out of range, cawing lustily, and dodging when the 
gun is pointed at them, while others sit observantly on the neigh- 
bouring house-tops, &c., all launching on the wing on the next 
discharge, with clamorous outcry, and then, by degrees, returning 
to their place of observation. Thus, too, they persecute the gunner 
when in quest of other birds, spreading the alarm in all directions ; 
and I remember once, when loading beside a large tank, a pair of 
the fine Caspian Tern came and dashed by two or three times within 
range ; but just as I was ready for them, a wild Crow made his ap- 
pearance and attacked one of them, being soon joined by others of 
