CROWS, JAYS, MAGPIES, ETC. 
281 
The white-necked raven is a typical bird of the hot Lower Sono¬ 
ran deserts, where it seems permanently associated with tall yuccas, 
juicy-fruited cactus, and the thousand thorny things of the half- 
barren valleys. Half crow and half raven in size, voice, and habits, 
cryptoleucus is still readily distinguished from either by both size 
and voice. Social in disposition, the birds gather in crow-like flocks 
in winter and feed about stockyards and corrals and even in city 
streets, where they are surprisingly tame considering their shyness 
outside. Even in the breeding season they are often seen in small 
companies on the mesas foraging for food or mobbing a pair of the 
big, hoarse-voiced sinuatus which have inadvertently entered their 
domain. But more commonly they are seen in pairs flying low over 
the cactus and yucca tops. 
So partial are they to the tall bayoneted yuccas for nesting sites 
that in western Texas few of these tree like growths that have 
reached a height of ten or twelve feet have escaped bearing one or 
more loads of sticks. Vernon Bailey. 
488. Corvus americanus Aud. American Crow. 1 
Black, whole plumage glossed with violet, more strongly on upper parts; 
feathers of throat short, blended. Length: 17-21, wing 11.90-13.25, tail 
6.90-8.00, exposed culmen 1.80-2.05. 
Distribution. — North American continent, except extreme arctic re¬ 
gions, and Florida in summer; south to northern Mexico. 
Nest. — In trees, bulky, of sticks, weed stalks, and other coarse ma¬ 
terials, lined with roots, grass, leaves, straw, wool, or hair. Eggs: 4 to 8, 
from pale bluish green to olive green or olive buff, with irregular spots 
or blotches in grays and browns. 
Food. — Mice, rabbits, gophers, eggs and young of other birds, grasshop¬ 
pers, weevils, cutworms, and many injurious insects; also grain and fruit. 
The crow excites interest from many points of view. As an in¬ 
dividual his droll originality and keen intelligence attract the bird 
student, as a social animal his famous roosts are a seven days’ won¬ 
der to his neighbors, while as an economic problem at his name 
friends and foes rise in clamor. His roosts sometimes number a 
population of 300,000, when his importance as a seed-planter may 
be well appreciated. But the economic point at issue in discussing 
him is, does he eat more grubs than corn? Professor Beal’s con¬ 
clusions, based on the examination of large numbers of crow stom¬ 
achs, are that “ in the more thickly settled parts of the country the 
crow probably does more good than harm, at least when ordinary 
precautions are taken to protect newly planted corn and young 
poultry against his depredations.” The best way to protect corn- 
1 Corvus americanus hesperis Ridgw. California Crow. 
Smaller than americanus , with relatively smaller and more slender bill. 
Distribution. — From Puget Sound to northern Mexico and east to the Rocky Moun¬ 
tains. (Ridgway’s Manual of North American Birds , p. 362.) 
