CORVUS CORONE, Linn, 
Carrion-Crow. 
Corvus corone, Linn. Faun. Suec., p. 29. 
cornix, Leach, Syst. Cat. of Indig. Mamm. and Birds in Coll. Brit. Mus., p. 18. 
subcorone et C. hiemalis, Brehm, Vdg. Deutschl., p. 167. 
Corone subcorone, Kaup, Naiitrl. Syst., p. 99. 
“ Black as a Crow ” is very descriptive of this well-known British bird ; for it has none of the fine play of 
colours observable in the Rook ; still some parts of its plumage are slightly glossed with purple and green, 
particularly the upper surface. In size and general appearance, when in the air, the two birds are so much 
alike that it requires a practised eye to distinguish one from the other ; this difficulty, however, 
disappears when two freshly killed birds are laid side by side, for many unmistakable differences in their 
structure and plumage are then apparent. The Rook has a more lengthened, pointed, and adze-shaped 
bill than the Crow% and, except during the first year of its existence, has the nostrils and throat devoid 
of feathers, allowing the scurfy, greyish white skin to appear, while in the Crow the same parts are clothed 
with feathers at all times. In their disposition, habits, and economy, also, great dissimilarity exists. 
The Rook is a sociable fearless creature, which courts rather than shuns the presence of man, as is shown 
by its selecting the trees around his mansion whereon to assemble in vast numbers at the close of day, 
and often breeding in close proximity, the assemblage of its great nests forming a conspicuous feature in 
the landscape. It is also less predatory, living principally upon worms and grubs, and, moreover, is highly 
gregarious, being often seen in large, and frequently in enormous gatherings, particularly in winter. The 
Crow, on the other hand, is a prowling marauder, prone to evil doings, shy and distrustful, builds a more 
concealed nest near the bole of an elm, an oak, or on a spreading branch of a large Scotch fir, nearly if not 
always in some central part of the park, where the sitting bird can see all around and escape from any 
threatened danger, and does not depend upon worms and grubs for its existence, but will readily attack a 
stranded sheep or peck to death a leveret or a Grouse. The Crow, too, commences breeding in February, 
which is a month earlier than the Rook and two months prior to the Daw, from each of which, as well as 
from the Raven and the Chough, it differs in the tone of its voice and in the hoarseness of its call. 
The distribution of the Crow over our islands may be said to be very general in England and the 
southern parts of Scotland, whether it be along the flat muddy shores of the sea or the park- and forest- 
lands of the interior; in the middle and northern parts of Scotland it is very uncommon ; and it appears 
to he entirely absent from the Orkneys and Shetlands, for it is not included in the late Mr. Dunn’s 
list of the birds observed by him in those islands ; and in Ireland it is much less frequently seen than with 
us. On the continent of Europe the Crow is found in all the middle, southern, and Avestern countries, but 
gradually becomes more scarce as we advance towards the north ; according to Temminck it is entirely 
absent from Sweden and Norway, and is rare in Denmark. It occurs in Algeria ; but I am not aware 
of its having been found in South Africa; Mr. Tristram states that it does not occur in Palestine. Mr. 
Jerdon has included it in the birds of India on the authority of Dr. Adams, who also states that it is 
common in Cashmere ; and Mr. Swinhoe secured one of two examples seen by him on Naochow, a small 
island lying off the right of the peninsula of Lulchow, in China. 
Some extremely curious habits have been attributed to the CroAV by various writers, a feAv of whose 
statements are sufficiently interesting to warrant their being reprinted here. 
St. John, in his ‘ Tour in Sutherland,’ says : — “ Amongst the curious instincts which birds display 
in providing themselves w'ith food, the one most resembling reason is that which teaches the common 
Crow, on finding on the shore a shell containing fish, to fly with it to a height in the air, and then to let it 
drop, in order to break the shell sufficiently to get at the animal enclosed in it. When the shell does not 
break the first time the Crow drops it, she darts doAvn, picks it up, and ascends still higher, till she perceives 
that the height is sufficient for her purpose. Sometimes another Crow darts in to carry off the booty, upon 
which a battle ensues in the air. 
“The Crows collect great numbers of sea-shells on particular favourite hillocks, which are often at some 
distance from the sea. I have frequently observed in this country great collections of this kind ; and, from 
the state of the shells, it would appear that they bring them to the same place for many successive years.” 
Some part of this account is confirmed by the observation of Lord Hill, Avho tells me that, at Hawkstone, 
the Crows frequently take the mussels from the lake-side, mount with them into the air, and drop them on 
the hard road, never on the grass. 
