Members of the crow family (Corvidae) are known to disperse seeds by frugivory or by scatter hoarding, but are rarely recognized as vectors of plants lacking a fleshy fruit, or a large nut. A century ago, S.A. Heintze carried out extensive field studies of seed dispersal by 11 species of European Corvidae, especially Magpies Pica pica and Hooded Crows Corvus cornix. His work was published in Swedish and has been overlooked until now, and suggests that contemporary views about seed dispersal...