1881 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
479 
The Common Crow (Corvus frugivorus.) 
The Crow is a common bird throughout a 
wide section of country. When full grown it 
measures twenty inches from the head to the 
tip of the tail; is of a lustrous black color, 
and were it not generally regarded as a 
thievish bird, it would rank among the most 
handsome, as it is one of the most sagacious 
and cunning of birds. The nest is usually 
built in the top of a 
tall tree, and so that 
it will be concealed 
from view by the 
foliage; it is con¬ 
structed of sticks, 
lined with bark, 
grass, etc., and for 
so large a one is very 
neat. The eggs, usu¬ 
ally five in number, 
are green for the 
ground color, and 
variously marked 
with brown, olive, 
and sometimes pur¬ 
ple . Cro ws are very 
social, and are usu¬ 
ally seen in small 
flocks, roosting to¬ 
gether, and retiring 
promptly to some 
secluded spot at 
evening, from which 
they leave very 
early in the morn¬ 
ing. The sagacity 
of the crow is clearly shown not only in the 
building and secreting, but in the guarding of 
the nest. While building, for example, on the 
discovery of danger, it will at once take an 
indefinite flight, so that it is almost impossi¬ 
ble to determine the general direction of the 
bird. The difficulty of approaching a crow 
with a gun is proverbial. The notes of this 
bird are highly unmusical, being a prolonged 
caw, or a shorter oeh, repeated at frequent in¬ 
tervals. In producing its notes the bird is 
obliged to gesticulate. The farmer’s idea of 
a crow is so closely associated with the pull¬ 
ing of the young corn, that to say anything 
in its favor is thought by many to be heresy. 
or “May-Beetle,” and for this service, if for 
none other, the crow should be spared, and 
even encouraged. A flock of crows upon a 
newly-plowed field will destroy vast numbers 
of white grubs and cutworms, enough to 
make a decided difference with the following 
crop of grain. In many cases the crow only 
pulls those spears of corn that are wilted, it 
thus securing the marauder that has been at 
work below the surface of the ground. By 
THE COMMON CROW ( (JOTV)IA frugiVOTW). 
what sense the crow is directed to the loca¬ 
tion of the grub, when ther j is no sign of his 
presence above ground, is more than we can 
say. The corn can be protected from the 
crows much more easily than the lawn, the 
meadow, strawberry bed, and many other 
places, can be kept free from the ravages of 
the white grub. While it must be admitted 
that, if left to itself, the crow can accom¬ 
plish considerable mischief during the few 
days when the corn is small, yet we protest 
against killing it. Let the crow live, and 
prevent it from having access to the com by 
means of some of the successful devices 
called “ scare-crows,” and then have the ben- 
The Lump-Fish. 
It is interesting to observe the various 
forms assumed by fishes. Some by their 
activity and strength are calculated to run 
down and prey upon weaker fishes, while 
others, by their unobtrusive appearance, and 
their resemblance to rocks and stones, are 
enabled to catch such prey as may not notice 
their presence. Of this latter class is the 
Lump-fish of our 
coast. The common 
name expresses its 
shape, it being of a 
clumsy appearance, 
while its colors, 
slate, blackish and 
yellowish below,are 
such as to make it 
very inconspicuous. 
A peculiarity of this 
fish is in its ven¬ 
tral fins, those up¬ 
on its belly, which 
are so arranged 
as to form a sort 
of disk, by means 
of which it can 
cling very firmly 
to rocks or other 
objects. It is said 
that a naturalist 
placed one of these 
fishes in a pail of 
water, and w hen he 
undertook to take 
it out, the fish, by 
means of this disk, clung so closely to the 
bottom of the pail, that he lifted the pail, 
water and all. The Lump-fish is often caught 
on our coast, especially by cod fishermen, 
and though they are not eaten by our people, 
they are esteemed by those who live upon 
the shores of northern Europe. The Lump¬ 
fish of our coasts varies from 8 to 20 inches 
in length, and sometimes reaches the weight 
of 18 pounds. The scientific name of our 
species is Cyclopteris lumpus, the first or 
generic name meaning a circle of wings, in 
allusion to the outline presented by its fins. 
In the northern seas there are several other 
species of Lump-fish, all of which are re- 
the spotted salamander. —(See previous page.) 
the LUMP-FISH (Cyclopteris lumpus). 
The days in which a crow can be destructive 
to the corn crop are but few, and all the rest 
of the year it is really the friend of the 
farmer. This black-coated bird is one of the 
greatest enemies of the “ White Grub,” the 
caterpillar or larva state of the “ June-Bug ” 
efit of its good works for the rest of the year. 
A tame crow is interesting. We once had one 
which was let loose in the garden ; the first 
thing it did was to pull up every label it 
could find; it then went for the lily buds. 
Fortunately death soon ended its career. 
markable for their ability to attach them¬ 
selves to rocks, and even to other fishes, 
which they are said to do for the purpose of 
being carried rapidly from place to place. 
Their food is mainly small fishes, marine 
worms, and sea snails, and other mollusks. 
