246 
COXIVUS OSSIFRAGUS. 
European species, as to satisfy me, that they are the 
same ; though the voice of ours is said to he less harsh, 
not unlike the barking of a small spaniel ; the pointed- 
ness of the ends of the tail feathers, mentioned by 
European naturalists, and occasioned by the extension 
of the shafts, is rarely observed in the present species ; 
though always very observable in the secondaries. 
The hunale dilfers from the male in being more dull 
<;oloured,und rather deficient in the glossy and purplish 
tints and reflections. The difiTercuce, however, is not 
great. 
Eesidos grain, insects, and carrion, they feed on 
frogs, tadpoles, small fish, lizards, .and shell fish ; with 
the Latter they frequently mount to a great height, 
dropping them on the rocks below, anil dijscending 
after them to ))ick up the coTitents. The same habit 
is observable in the gull, the raven, and sea-side crow. 
Many other aquatic insects, as well as marine pl.ants, 
furnish him with food ; which accounts for their being 
so generally found, and so nnmerous, on the sea-shore, 
and along the banks of our large rivers. 
60 « CORVUS OSSlFRAGUSj M'lLSON. — -FISH CROW. 
WILSON, PLATE XXXVII. FIG, II. 
Tins roving inhabitant of our se.a-coasfs, ponds, and 
river shores, is much less distinguished th.an the fish- 
hawk, this being the first time, as far as I can learn, 
that ho has ever been introduced to the notice of the. 
world. 
I first met u ith this species on the sea-coast of 
Georgiii, and observed that they regularly retired to the 
interior as evening a|)proached, and cani'e don n to the 
shores of the river Savannah by the first appearance of 
day. Their voice first attracted my notice, being very 
different from that of the common crow, more hoarse 
and guttural, uttered as if something stuck in their 
throat, and varied into several modulations as they flew 
along. Their manner of flying was also unlike the 
