288 
CORVUS BULLOCKII. 
wings, twenty-six. Audubon, when speaking 
fine bird, has the following remarks : 
of tk' 3 
“ The genus corvus consists of birds which d> . 
considerably in their appearance and manners. j 
circumstance has given rise to various separations ‘ . 
groupings. It may, in fact, be considered analo B 
to the great genera Falco, Psittacus, and C°h' ,n .^ t 
which, although the species composing them 
great diversity, may be allowed to retain their integ rl v, 
because the gradations between the species are 
minute, that each group presents an uuinterrup.^ 
series. Were one to compare the golden eagle 
the swallow-tailed hawk, the red macaw w it h j 
ground parrot of New Holland, or the great cres, 
pigeon with the turtle dove, he 
or uie 
might doubtless n 
reasons for separating these birds into genera, cold ^ 
but forget that the intermediate gradations are to 
seen. It is so with the crows and jays. 
' T ^’$ 
are characterized by a certain gravity ot aspect; - y 
flight is regular, protracted, and performed by e J 
flappings and sailings; they frequent open places, ^ 
feed on almost all kinds of food indiscriminately ; || 
cry is a dull croak, or scream. The latter are 
smarter in their appearance, more lively in their motiOj 
their flight is less protracted, and performed by * J. ( . ( 
flappings; they frequent woods and thickets, and 
chiefly on fruits; and their notes are emitted ■ 
noisy chattei'ings. The bill of the crows is 
robust, cultriform, covered at the base with long, s ( ,t 
closely adpressed, reversed, bristly feathers ; t' ia 
some of the jays is much smaller, not robust, ‘ 
approaching to the form of that of thrushes and 
crackers, and the hasirostral feathers are dimin'*^, 
in size and rigidity. The crows have shortish, '' p 
or rounded tails, with long and sometimes rather s J 
wings. The jays have the tail often greatly 
and cuneiform or graduated, with short, much ri ’ u ". ( |,.,l l 
concave wings. Numerous other contrasts arc afto* ^ 
— the crows, for example, being generally did ' 
uniform in their colours, the jays variegated and 
