CLASS II. AVES: 
OEDER 2. 
PASSEEES. 
199 
" The Carrion-Crow hath a coat of black, 
Silky and sleek like a priest's, on his back ; 
Like a lawyer he grubbeth — no matter what way — 
The fouler the oflal the richer his prey. 
Caw ! caw ! ilie Carrion- Croiv ! 
Dig ! dig ! in, tlie ground 'below ! 
"The Garrion-CrovT hath a dainty maw, 
With savory pickings he cramraeth his craw ; 
Kept meat from the gibbet it pleaseth his whim, 
It never can lutng too long for him. 
Caiv ! caw ! 
"The Cai'rion-Crow smelleth powder, 'tis said. 
Like a soldier escheweth the taste of cold lead; 
No jester in mime hath more marvelous wit, 
Tor wherever he lighteth he maketh a hit. 
Caw ! caw ! t?ie Carrion- Crow ! 
Dig ! dig ! in the ground lelow F' 
The American Cbow, G. Ainericanus, is somewhat smaller than the preceding ; it differs from 
that species also in having a more sonorons voice, and in being gregarious in its habits. In color, 
form, and food it is similar. Its length is seventeen inches ; its color a shiny, glossy blue-black ; 
the color of the female is somewhat duller ; the food consists of grains, insects, carrion, frogs, tad- 
poles, lizards, small fish and shell-fish. Wilson says : " This is perhaps the most generally 
known, and least beloved, of all our land birds ; having neither melody of song, nor beauty of 
plumage, nor excellence of flesh, nor civility of manners to recommend him ; on the contrary, he 
is branded as a thief and a plunderer — a kind of black-coated vagabond, who hovers over the 
fields of the industrious, fattening on their labors, and, by his voracity, often blastin-g their ex- 
pectations. Hated as he is by the farmer, watched and persecuted by almost every bearer of a 
gun, who all triumph in his destruction, had not heaven bestowed on him intelligence and sagac- 
ity far beyond common, there is reason to believe that the whole tribe would long ago have ceased 
to exist. It is a constant attendant on agriculture, and a general inhabitant of the cultivated 
parts of North America. In the interior of the forest he is more rare, unless during the season 
of breeding. He is particularly attached to low, flat corn countries lying in the neighborhood 
of the sea or of large rivers ; and is more numerous in the ISTorthern than Southern States, where 
vultures abound, with whom the crows are unable to contend. About the middle of March they 
pair, and soon begin to build, generally choosing a high tree ; their nests are formed externally 
of sticks, wet moss, thin bark, mixed with mossy earth, and lined with large quantities of horse- 
hair, to the amount of more than half a pound, some cow-hair, and some wool, forming a very 
soft and elastic bed. The eggs are foui', of a pale green color, marked with numerous specks and 
blotches of olive. During this interesting season the male is extremely watchful, making frequent 
excursions of half a mile or so in circuit to reconnoiter ; and the instant he observes a person ap- 
proaching, he gives the alarm, when both male and female retire to a distance till the intruder 
has gone past. He also regularly carries food to his mate while she is sitting, occasionally re- 
lieves her, and, when she returns, again resigns up his post. At this time, also, as well as until 
the young are able to fly, they preserve uncommon silence, that their retreat may not be sus- 
pected. 
" It is in the month of May, and until the middle of June, that the crow is most destructive to 
the corn-fields, digging up the newly planted grains of maize, pulling up by the roots those that 
have begun to vegetate, and thus frequently obliging the farmer to replant, or lose the benefit of 
the soil ; and this sometimes twice, and even three times, occasioning a considerable additional 
expense, and inequality of harvest. No mercy is now shown him. The myriads of worms, moles, 
mice, caterpillars, grubs, and beetles, which he has destroyed, are altogether overlooked on these 
occasions. Detected in robbing the hens' nests, pulling np the corn, and killing the young chick- 
ens, he is considered as an outlaw, and sentenced to destruction. But the great difficulty is, how 
to put this sentence in execution. In vain the gunner skulks along the hedges and fences ; his 
faithful sentinels, planted on some commanding point, raise the alarm, and disappoint vengeance 
