The GLOSSY CROW (_Anomalocorax splendens_) is an inhabitant of the East
Indies, and one of the most elegant of the many representatives of the
family met with in that part of the world. In this bird the wings are
so short as scarcely to reach the end of the long tail, and it has for
this reason been classed as forming a distinct subdivision of the group
to which it belongs. The length of the Glossy Crow is from fifteen to
eighteen inches, seven inches of which are included in the tail; and the
wing measures about eleven inches. The plumage upon the front of the head
is a brilliant black, the back of the head, nape, and upper part of the
throat are lively grey; the back, wings, and tail black, lighted up by a
rich violet tint like tempered steel; the chin, breast, and sides of the
neck are black, with a metallic lustre; the breast is dark grey, and the
middle of the belly a dusky black, lightly marked with steel blue.
Jerdon tells us that the name given to this species has been entirely
misapplied, as many of its congeners rival it in the brilliant gloss
upon their coats. Every part of India affords a home to this beautiful
bird, which is met with in all the towns and villages from Ceylon to the
Himalaya Mountains, living upon the most friendly terms with man during
the day, and passing the night in company with not merely its own kind,
but with large parties of Parrots and Minas, amongst whom, as may be
easily imagined, disputes and fights are of constant occurrence, and
anything like quiet or harmony impossible. At dawn the whole party are
awake, and at once commence their preparations for the business of the
day by carefully preening their feathers, chattering with the utmost
vivacity among themselves. The flock then divides into small parties of
from twenty to forty birds, and fly over the surrounding country often to
a distance of ten miles from the place where they slept. It may literally
be said of the Glossy Crows that they live upon the crumbs that fall
from man's table, for many of the natives take their meals outside their
huts, and at such times are generally surrounded by these birds, who
seize every morsel as it drops; indeed, so well do they understand what
the lighting of a fire indicates, that the first appearance of smoke will
attract them, and keep them hovering about the spot until the expected
food is ready to be eaten. Others, again, will seek for crabs, fish,
frogs, or insects, which they consume in large quantities, or follow
Gulls and Sea Swallows in order to share their prey; some will search
the fields for grubs, or relieve the cattle from the parasites by which
they are tormented; others spend the day in robbing the banana-trees of
their fruit, or hunt the winged Termites in company with Bee-eaters,
Kites, or even Bats. During the heat of the summer they may be seen
sheltering themselves under some thickly-foliaged branch from the power
of the sun, and with beak wide open, seem to pant for a breath of cool
fresh air. The breeding season extends from April to June; and the nests,
which are placed upon trees or the corners of a house, are formed of
twigs, lined with a bed of some soft material. The brood consists of four
greenish-blue eggs (spotted and marked with brown), this number being
frequently increased by the addition of a Cuckoo's egg, that bird seeming
to have a decided preference for their nests when in search of a home for
her offspring.
The flight of these Crows is light and tolerably rapid. When pursued by
an enemy they are very dexterous in eluding its attacks--indeed, their
courage, intelligence, and cunning are so highly developed as to render
them most interesting. Blyth tells us that they disport themselves
about the houses with great confidence, running hither and thither in a
constant bustle, as though each moment was of value and could not be
wasted in idle loitering, at the same time uttering their cry, which is
unbearably noisy. The inhabitants of Ceylon observe these birds with
great attention, and have many superstitions based upon the course of
their flight, the kind of trees on which they settle, or the numbers in
which they appear--indeed, the proceedings of the Glossy Crow would seem
to be regarded with the same attention and anxiety as was the flight
of ominous birds amongst the Greeks and Romans. The Dutch, during the
time that they possessed Ceylon, also showed considerable favour to
this species, and decreed heavy punishments for those who killed them,
believing them of great service in promoting the growth of cinnamon by
devouring the ripe fruit and scattering the undigested seeds over the
surrounding country.
[Illustration: THE NUTCRACKER (_Nucifraga caryocatactes_).]
Endless are the annoyances to which the inhabitants of Ceylon are exposed
by the thievish propensities of these daring pilferers, who will watch
the windows of the houses, to steal every article that it is in their
power to remove, and not unfrequently open packets, or even unknot a
cloth, if they fancy that anything eatable is contained within its folds.
On one occasion a party of people seated in a garden were much startled
by the sudden appearance of a clasp-knife covered with blood, which fell
amongst them as if coming from the clouds, and, on instituting inquiries,
at last ascertained that the formidable missile had been stolen from
the cook, who, in an unlucky moment, had turned his head aside, and
thus given one of these expert thieves the opportunity for which it was
waiting. A still more amusing anecdote is told by Tennent of a Glossy
Crow, who, having long attempted by every conceivable device to divert
the attention of a dog from a bone that it wished to secure, and its
efforts proving fruitless, retired in search of a friend, who at once
perched upon a tree, and endeavoured to attract the attention of the dog,
but all in vain; at length, rendered desperate by repeated failures, the
new comer darted down with great violence upon the owner of the coveted
bone; the dog, to revenge itself, sprang upon the intruder, while the
cunning instigator of the commotion crept quietly to the spot, and
secured the prize.