CROWS, 
201 
The male is about 9 inches in length; and 14 in alar extent; at 
first appearing black, glossed with dark green ; with the tail some- 
what rounded ; the plumage at length becomes more or less tinctured 
with brown, or skirted with ferruginous. This change in the plum- 
age appears to be analogous to that which takes place in the Euro- 
pean Starling. Iris silvery. — The female is of about the same size 
with the male, and the young of the tot season? of both sexes, are 
nearly of the same color. 
CROWS. (Corvus. Lin .) 
In these the bill is thick, straight at the base, curved towards the 
point, and compressed and edged at the sides. Nostrils at the base 
of the bill, open, and hidden in advancing hairs. The feet have 3 
toes before, and 1 behind, almost entirely divided to their base; the 
tarsus longer than the middle toe. The wings sharp-pointed ; the 1st 
primary short ; the 3d and 4th, longest. The tail of 12 feathers. 
These birds appear to have the sense of smell very perfect. Sus- 
picious to excess they instinctively avoid all sorts of snares ; they 
have also the cunning and caprice, to take and hide things which 
are useless to them. They can be rendered amusing domestics; may 
be taught to articulate words, and to obey the voice of their master. 
All kinds of nourishment is acceptable to them ; and they sometimes 
commit great waste, which they compensate in a measure, by the 
destruction they make of the larvae of insects. The larger species 
occasionally prey on small birds, and most of them have a great ap- 
petite for eggs. They moult once a year. The sexes are scarcely 
distinguishable from each other, and the young, after casting their 
first feathers resemble the adult. They travel and unite always in 
bands; and are spread over the whole globe. 
THE TRUE CROWS 
Have the bill thick and stout; the feathers of the head, incapable 
of erection ; the tail moderate in length, even, or slightly rounded. 
Their color is black, without any variegation. — They also walk 
gravely, and have an elevated and long sustained flight, 
