Page:Ornithological biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America, vol 2.djvu/307

Rh The common note of the Fish-Crow is different from that of the other species of the genus, resembling the syllables ha, ha, hae, frequently re- peated. At times the sound of their voice seems as if a faint mimicry of that of the Common Crow ; at others, one would suppose that they are troubled with a cough or cold. During the breeding season, their notes are much varied, and are not disagreeable.

Their flight is strong and protracted. While searching for food, these birds hover at a moderate height over the water ; but when they rise in the air, to amuse themselves, they often reach a great elevation. While on the ground, their movements are graceful, and resemble those of the Boat-tailed Grakle. Like the other crows, they are fond of replacing their wings, as it were, in their proper situations, frequently opening them out a little, and instantly closing them again.

On several occasions, when one of these birds had been wounded, I found, on approaching it, that it had the power of disgorging its food somewhat in the manner of the Turkey Buzzard. When one is thus wounded, its companions come sailing over you, with a loud scream, in the manner of gulls, so that several may be brought down by an expert marksman, as they are not easily intimidated at such times. Indeed, this species is easily approached, and may be killed without difficulty. I have known fifteen of them shot at once, while feeding on the cassina berries. During winter, when they are chiefly frugivorous, they become extreme- ly fat and very tender. Their pouch-like stomach, although large, is not muscular ; the intestines are large and baggy. Very few are bare on the lower mandible ; perhaps among a hundred which I have examined, not more than six or seven exhibited this nakedness, without removing the feathers of that part with the hand.

I have represented a pair on a branch of the Honey-locust, already figured in my first volume, but here represented with its matured fruit.

CoRvus ossiFRAGUS, Ck, Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 57.

Fish-Crow, Corvus ossifragus, Wik. Amer. Ornith. vol. v. p. 27. pi. 37. fig. 2. Nuttall, Manual, part i. p. 216.

Adult Male. Plate CXLVI. Fig. 1.

Bill longish, straight, robust, somewhat compressed ; upper mandible with the dorsal line arched and declinate, the sides concave at the base, flat in the middle, the edges slightly inflected, the tip declinate ; lower