246 
CORVUS OSSIFRAGUS. 
European species, as to satisfy me, that they are the 
same ; though the voice of ours is said to he less harsh, 
not unlike the barking of a small spaniel : the pointed- 
ness of the ends of the tail feathers, mentioned by 
European naturalists, and occasioned by the extension 
of the shafts, is rarely observed in the present species ; 
though always very observable in the secondaries. 
The female differs from the male in being more dull 
coloured, and rather deficient in the glossy and purplish 
tints and reflections. The difference, however, is not 
great. 
Besides grain, insects, and carrion, they feed on 
frogs, tadpoles, small fish, lizards, and shell fish ; with 
the latter they frequently mount to a great height, 
dropping them on the rocks below, and descending 
after them to pick up the contents. The same habit 
is observable in the gull, the raven, and sea-side crow. 
Many other aquatic insects, as well as marine plants, 
furnish him with food ; which accounts for their being 
so generally found, and so numerous, on the sea-shore, 
and along the banks of our large rivers. 
60 . CORVUS OSSIFRAGUS , WILSON. FISH CROW. 
WILSON, PLATE XXXVII. FIG. II. 
This roving inhabitant of our sea-coasts, ponds, and 
river shores, is much less distinguished than the fish- 
hawk, this being the first time, as far as I can learn, 
that he has ever been introduced to the notice of the 
world. 
I first met with this species on the sea-coast of 
Georgia, and observed that they regularly retired to the 
interior as evening approached, and came down to the 
shores of the river Savannah by the first appearance of 
day. Their voice first attracted my notice, being very 
different from that of the common crow, more hoarse 
and guttural, uttered as if something stuck in their 
throat, and varied into several modulations as they flew 
along. Their manner of Hying was also unlike the 
