ICO 
FISH CROW. 
around and ran along the smooth beach just outside the breakers. It soon became appar¬ 
ent why we took this way for we could see a long line of white-capped waves breaking 
over a shoal that lay to the eastward. So we ran on between the land and reef until the 
great, luminous eye of the light-house opened upon us from behind the palmetto trees that 
stood on North Island, then we once more turned landward, this time sailing directly into 
the mouth of the river and anchored under the lee of a point. It was well for us that we 
did for in an hour the wind was blowing such a gale that, sheltered as we were, our yacht 
dragged her anchor and we were obliged to put over a second. 
As we lay there two days I had a fine opportunity of collecting the birds on the neigh¬ 
boring islands. I never remember seeing a more lovely spot than North Island. It con¬ 
sisted of small hillocks with ponds interspersed at intervals, while the whole was covered 
with a thick growth of trees; the evergreen live oak, stately magnolias, glossy-leaved bays, 
beautiful palmettoes, and large holleys grew in profusion. They were covered with vines 
and draped with long streamers of Spanish moss, and the whole was surrounded by a ridge 
of white sand which formed a very appropriate setting for the most perfect gem of an island 
that I ever saw. 
The wind was blowing hard and cold from the North-east but, as the trees formed a 
perfect shelter, hundreds of birds were congregated there and by far the most numerous 
were the Fish Crows; in fact they greatly outnumbered all the other species gut together. 
They were evidently migrating for they came down the coast in an almost unbroken 
stream and continued to fly all day. I think I saw more pass the island than I ever saw 
before. It did-not seem possible that there could have been so many of these Crows in 
existence for they could be counted by tens of thousands. I.have always found that they 
accumulate in large flocks in winter and have noted immense numbers on the prairies of 
Southern Florida, but nothing that I had previously seen ever gave me the impression 
which I that day received regarding the abundance of these birds, and I was thoroughly 
satisfied that the Fish Crows were not in any danger of being exterminated, at least in the 
section of country which they inhabit north of South Carolina. 
The Fish Crows are essentially maritime birds and, as will be infered by the above 
remarks, gregariously inclined for the greater portion of the year. They spend their time 
about shores, not only of the sea but of large bodies of water, subsisting largely upon 
what they can pick up on the margin. They have, however, a singular habib of hovering 
over the surface in order to catch any floating object, and I have seen several thus en¬ 
gaged at one time when they so nearly resembled Gulls that, had it not been for the flight 
and note, they might have been taken for a black species of this latter named family. 
They do not, however, depend wholly upon the water to supply them with food, for they 
are very fond of the fruit of the palmetto and I have also found them feeding on the spicy 
berries of the bay. 
The Fish Crows are not always, however, content with such diet but, unfortunately 
for the Herons, Cormorants, Terns, and other birds which breed in rookeries, are extremely 
fond of eggs and will always eat them whenever a favorable opportunity offers but, as 
they regard the parents birds, especially the sharp-beaked Herons, with the utmost re* 
