Corvus corone, Wilson, Am. Orn. IV, 1811, 79 pl. xxv, f. 3.—Bon. Obs. Wils. 1824, No. 37.—Ib. Syn. 1828, 56.—Rich. F. B. Am. II, 1831, 291.—Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 209 (not Corvus corone ofLinn.). Corvus americanus, Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 317; V, 477, pl. clvi.—Ib. Syn. 1839, 150.—Ib. Birds Am. IV, 1842, 87, pl. ccxxv.—Bon. List, 1838.—Ib. Consp. 1850, 385.—Nuttall, Man. I, (2d ed.,) 1840, 221.—Maxim. Reise, I, 1839, 140.—Newberry, Zoöl. Cal. & Or. Route, P. R. R. Rep. VI, IV, 1857, 82.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 566, pl. xxiii.—Max. Caban. J. VI, 1858, 198.—Schlegel, Notice sur les Corbeaux, 10, pl. I, f. 16.—Coues, P. A. N. S. 1861, 226.—Samuels, 357.—Allen, B. E. Fla. 297 (in part).
Sp. Char. Fourth quill longest; second shorter than sixth; first shorter than ninth. Glossy black with violet reflections, even on the belly. Length, 19.00 to 20.00; wing, 13.00 to 13.50; tail about 8.00. Tarsus longer than the middle toe and claw.
Hab. United States, from Atlantic to Pacific; rare in the Middle Province and on Missouri Plains, and on northwest coast. N. E. Texas (Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 494). North to Great Slave Lake, Fort Rae, and Nelson River, H. B. T.
The C. americanus has no analogue in Europe, though the C. corone somewhat resembles it. The most important feature of distinction appears to lie in the structure of the feathers of the head and neck, which in C. corone are narrow, with the tips distinct, while in the American bird these tips are blended together and do not maintain their individuality. The feathers on the fore-neck in corone are also lanceolate and distinct, showing the outline of each one as in the Raven, while in the American Crow they are three times as broad, rounded, and entirely blended. Mr. Audubon further remarks that the neck of the European bird is glossed with green and blue, while that of the American has a decided purplish-brown tinge.
Prince Maximilian states, in addition, that the note differs in the two species.
Habits. The Common Crow of North America is found in great abundance in all the Eastern States, from Texas to Florida, and from the Missouri to Nova Scotia. A few are found beyond the Great Plains, and they also extend their migrations, in summer, into high Arctic regions. Richardson found them as far north as the 55th parallel, but was in error when he stated that beyond this they do not go. He adds that none approach within five or six hundred miles of Hudson’s Bay. They were observed at Cross Lake and at Lake Winnepeg by Mr. Kennicott, at Big Island by Mr. Reid, at Fort Rae by Mr. Clarke, and at Fort Anderson and on the Lower Anderson River by Mr. MacFarlane, who also found them breeding even at this high latitude. They were not seen in Russian America, and Dr. Cooper thinks that the species does not occur in California, or, if at all, only rarely, but that it is there replaced by C. caurinus.
Mr. Ridgway found the Crow of very rare occurrence in the interior. A very few were seen in the Truckee meadows, in November, and others at the Humboldt marshes, in October. These western birds were exceedingly unsuspicious and familiar, so much so that those seen in the Humboldt marshes were walking about with all the familiarity of domestic pigeons, only hopping aside as they were approached. None were seen either in spring or summer.
In Western Iowa Mr. Allen states that he saw but very few of this species, and even in Northern Illinois it was not very common. At the West this bird is reported to be held in better estimation than at the East, by the farmers. It is not known to pull corn, and seems to be entirely unsuspicious. It is regarded generally as a benefactor, and not only deserves, but receives, good treatment. In Indiana he found it more common.
Dr. Coues met with a single individual on the Labrador coast. In Nova Scotia it is much more abundant, and there, as on the Western prairies, being unmolested by the inhabitants, it is exceedingly unsuspicious, and will permit
a very near approach before it will fly, and even then will not move to a distance. In all of the United States east of the Mississippi it is very abundant. In Texas, between San Antonio and the Mexican frontier, it is not common; but Mr. Dresser found it very common in the northeast part of the State during the whole year.