364 Pane BIRDS—CORVID. 
Mr. Read says that it was frequent in 1853. Mr. Langdon states that a 
specimen was taken September 3, 1879, near Marysville, Union county, 
which is now in the collection of Dr. Buffington of that nplaces This is 
the only record for several years. | 
The nest of the Raven is placed in trees, sometimes on rocks. It is 
composed of sticks, lined with hair, and is quite bulky. .The eggs average 
six in number, light-green in color, marked with dots and blotches of 
purple and brown. They measure about two inches in length by one 
and one-third in width. 
+ Corvus AMERICANUS Aud. 
Common Crow. . 
Corvus corone, KIRTLAND, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 162.\— ReaD, Family Visitor, iii, 1853, 
3de?3 Proc. Phila. Acad. Nat. Sci., vi, 1853, 395. 
Corvus americanus, WHEATON, Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1860, 367; Reprint, 1861, 9; Food of 
Birds, ete., Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1874, 568; Reprint, 1875, 8— LANGDON, Cat. Birds 
of Cin., 1877, 10; Revised List, Journ. Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 177; Reprint, 11; 
Summer Birds, ib., iii, 1880, 224. 
Crow, KIRTLAND, Fam. Visitor, i, 1880, 1.—-BALLOoU, Field and Forest, iii, 1878, 136. 
Corvus corone, Winson, Am. Orn., iv, 1811, 79. 
Corvus americanus, AUDUBON, Orn. Biog., ii, 1834, 317. 
Habitat, Temperate North America, excepting, probably, most of the high central 
plains and the southern Rocky Mountains, where the Raven abounds. 
Abundant. Resident in Southern, summer resident in Middle and 
Northern Ohio; a few remain in Central Ohio during mild winters. 
No one of our birds suffers more from a bad reputation than the Crow, 
-yet none seem more likely to outlive their past notoriety. Hated and 
pursued by every boy who can command a gun, their sagacity often proves. 
their only safety. In all places of this State they fear the gun or the 
semblence of it, while a human being unarmed is looked upon with sus- 
picion only. | 
In the vicinity of Columbus, where, twenty years since they were abun- 
dant, they are now, except when migrating, hardly common. Whether 
this diminution in numbers is due to changes in environment, or from 
causes acting directly upon the birds themselves is not known. Doubt- 
less the removal of trees along rivers and creeks, in which they were 
accustomed to roost, has assisted in lessening their numbers. It is 
asserted that they were attacked by a disease resembling the ‘“‘chicken 
cholera,” some fifteen years since, which decimated their ranks. But 
neither of these causes seem to be sufficient. In most parts of the 
State their nunabers are undiminished. Mr. Read states that they were 
increasing in numbers in,Northern Ohio in 1853. 
