248 
CORVUS OSSIFRAGUS. 
during' this penod, regularly passed Mr Bartram’s 
gai nens to the high w^oods to roost, every eveiiino- a 
httle before sunset, and as regularly returned, at^or 
before sunrise every morning, directing their coni'se 
towards the river. The hshcrmen along the.se rivers also 
inform me, that they have particular^ remarked this 
iTOiv, by his croaking voice, and his fondues.s for hsh • 
almost always hoverin^r abouttheirfishiu<fplac<*s tofrlean 
up the refuse. Of tlieir manner of lireeding I caii'’only 
say, that they separate into pairs, and build in tall trees 
near the sea or river shore ; one of their nests liavino- 
been built tins season in a piece of tall woods near Mr 
l^asley s, at Great Egg-Harbour. From the circiira- 
stance oi six or seven being- usually seen here too-ether 
m the month of July, it is probable that they have at 
least lour or five young at a time*. 
I can find no description of this species by any former 
writer. Mr Bartrara mentions a bird of this tribe 
wliieli he calls tlie great seaside crow; but the present 
species IS considerably inferior in size to the common 
crow, and having myself seen and e.\amiiied it in so 
many and remotely situated parts of the country' and 
found it in all these places alike, I Iiave no hesitation 
in pronouiiciiig it to he a new and liitlicrto uudescribed 
spc(‘ies. 
The fish crow is si-xtoen inches long, and thirty-three 
111 e.vtent ; black all over, with refleetioiis of steel-blue 
and purple; the eliin is bare of feathers around the 
base of the lower mandible; upper mandible notched 
near the t,jj, the edges of both turned inwards about 
the middle ; eye, very small, placed near the corner of 
the mouth, and of a dark hazel colour; recumbent hairs 
or bristles, large and long; ear-featlier.s, prominent • 
hrst primary little more than half the length, fourth 
the longest; wings, when shut, reach ivitliin two inches 
of tlic tip of the tail ; tail, rounded, and seven inches 
long from its insertion ; thighs, very long ; legs, stout; 
clayvs, shar]), long and hooked, hind one tlie largest, all 
jet black. Male and female much alike. 
I would beg leave to rccommeud to the ivatchfiU 
