238 
CORVUS CORONE. 
by almost every bearer of a gun, who all triumph in his 
destruction, had not Heaven bestowed on him intelli- 
gence and sagacity far beyond common, there is reason 
to believe, that the whole tribe (in these parts at least) 
w ould long ago have ceased to exist. 
The crow is a constant attendant on agriculture, and 
a general inhabitant of the cultivated parts of North 
America. In the interior of the forest he is more 
rare, unless during the season of breeding. He is 
particularly attached to low flat corn countries, lying 
in the neighbourhood of the sea, or of large rivers ; and 
more numerous in the northern than southern states, 
where vultures abound, and with whom the crowds are 
unable to contend. A strong antipathy, it is also said, 
prevails between the crow and the raven, insomuch, 
that where the latter are numerous, the former rarely 
resides. Many of the first settlers of the Gennesee 
country have informed me, that, for a long time, ravens 
were numerous with them, but no crowds ; and even 
now the latter are seldom observed in that country. 
In travelling from Nashville to Natchez, a distance of 
four hundred and seventy miles, I saw few or no crowds, 
but ravens frequently, and vultures in great numbers. 
The usual breeding time of the crow, in Pennsylvania, 
is in March, April, and May, during which season they 
are dispersed over the woods in pairs, and roost in the 
neighbourhood of the tree they have selected for their 
nest. About the middle of March they begin to build, 
generally choosing a high tree ; though I have also 
known them prefer a middle sized cedar. One of their 
nests, now before me, is formed externally of sticks, 
wet moss, thin bark mixed with mossy earth, and lined 
with large quantities of horse hair, to the amount of 
more than half a pound, some cow hair, and some wool, 
forming a very soft and elastic bed. The eggs are 
four, of a pale green colour, marked with numerous 
specks and blotches of olive. 
During this interesting season, the male is extremely 
watchful, making frequent excursions of half a mile or 
so in circuit, to reconnoitre ; and the instant he observes 
