The Crow ( Corvus frugivorus) as a Fisherman. — I am courteously 
permitted by Mr. L. I. Flower of Clifton, N. B., to publish the following 
note of an interesting incident which came under his observation. 
“ A few years since, while crossing the Washademock Lake, I noticed a 
Crow flying close to the surface at a spot where the water is very shoal. 
Suddenly, when but a short distance from my boat, the Crow thrust his 
claw down into the water and drew to the surface what I afterward discov- 
ered was a fish of about half a pound weight, and then seizing it with his 
bill, by aid of ‘tooth and nail’ succeeded in drawing it out of the water 
and carrying it to an adjacent rock, the fish all the while struggling hard 
to get free.” — Montague Chamberlain, St. John. N. B. 
Auk, I, Oct,, 1884 . p. 3 V /• 
Carnivorous Propensities of the Crow ( Corvus americanus). — 'M.j 
neighbor, Mr. E. M. Davis, indulges in the luxury of live pets, and 
amongst them is a Crow, reared by hand from the nest and now perhaps 
three or four months old. He manifests the usual inquisitive and mis- 
chievous habits of the species in confinement, secreting various objects for 
which he can have no possible use, and worrying on all occasions both 
the cat and the dog of the premises, by picking at their toes, pulling their 
tails, etc. He seems to fear nothing but a small rubber hose used for 
sprinkling purposes, upon the first appearance of which, even before any 
,T7o o rVn-r,wn I-, ,■ mnnifpstpH the utmost frip’bt.. and fled to the house 
Crows Eating Herons’ Eggs. 
About ten pairs of Night Herons ( Nycti - 
ardea grisea,) and three pair of Little 
Blue Herons, (Ardea coerulea,) have nested 
for a few years within the corporate limits 
of the city of New Brunswick, N. J. 
When I visited this heronry, late in April, 
’82, I discovered that one nest already 
contained four eggs, two others each three, 
several more one and two, while the re- 
mainder were as yet empty. About two 
weeks later, after climbing up to a number 
of nests, and passing from the top of one 
tree to another, where this was practica- 
ble, thus examining nearly all, I was sur- 
prised to find each empty, though the old 
birds fluttered overhead or alighted near 
by. At the base of many of the trees in 
which nests were situated lay the eggs 
with a piece broken out and the meat gone. 
I suspectad two parties of the robbery — 
either the Red Squirrel, ( Sciurus hudsoni- 
us,) that I saw some distance away, or else 
a number of Crows that were perched in a 
neighboring tree cawing lustily. On May 
20th I examined the nests a third time, 
finding them again without eggs, while 
fresh shells were strewn on the ground. 
The Herons were now shy and restless, 
whereas the Crows, for whom I entertained 
a strong aversion, were more audacious 
and clamorous than ever. A subsequent 
and final visit revealed conditions un- 
changed, the Crows as officious as ever, so 
that, it being very late in the season, I was 
satisfied that no young birds were reared 
last year. I fear the Herons will remove 
to some other breeding ground the coming 
Spring, a proceeding which I should very 
much regret. — A. G. Van Aken, New 
Brunswick, N. J. 
ver the hose ap- 
Quite recently 
[edged, was cap- 
l to keep it away 
•st introduction, 
as a terrier does 
le the way of all 
: Crow had been 
es, the killing of 
jiral propensities 
\ N G I) O N , Cincin- 
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Food of Crows in Winter. 
Before me lie the contents of the crop of a Com- 
mon Crow, (Corvus americanus,) shot while the 
ground was yet frozen as he returned from feeding 
grounds down the river to a rookery (?) some two 
miles above here. The product is largely vegetable 
showing husks of grains of Indiana corn. Evi- 
dences of dainty piscatorial food are found in small 
amphiccelus vertebra. Evidences of other verte- 
brate food are found in bones. I am not yet able to 
classify a fragment of a small humerus or femur. 
Are the records of the winter food of this bird suf 
ficient to make him a living bill of fare? — Theo. 
G. Lemmon , Westport, Mo. 
O.&o. XI. Apr. 1886 . p. ft 
70 
