330 



BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Corvinae. Bill as long as the head. Tail short, nearly even; wings long and pointed, 

 longer than tail, and nearly reaching its tip: projecting beyond the under tail-coverts, 

 which reach the middle of tail. Tip of wing formed by the third, fourth, and fifth quills. 

 which are longest. Tarsi usually with a row of small scutellaj on each side. 



Garrulinae. Bill usually shorter than head. Tail lengthened, rounded, and gener- 

 ally longer than the wings, which are short, rounded and extend scarcely beyond the 

 lower tail-coverts; these not reaching the middle of the tail. Tip of wing formed by the 

 fourth, fifth, and sixth quills, which are longest. Tarsi usually with a row of small 

 scutellaj on the inner side only. 







SUBFAMILY CORVINE. THE CROWS. 



CHAE. "Wings long and pointed, longer than the tail, and, when closed, reaching 

 nearly to its tip, extending beyond the under tail-coverts, the third, fourth, and fifth 

 quills forming the tip of the wing. 



The following diagnoses may serve to distinguish the three genera 

 of North American Coruina: 



A. (Cori'ecK). Bill compressed, much higher than broad; its tip compressed. 

 Size large (i. e. over 13 inches long), color black, or mainly black. 



Color black throughout; bill much compressed, the culmen much 

 arched, and the gonys convex ; nasal bristles strong - Corvus. 



B. (Nucifragece.) Bill cylindrical, scarcely or not at all higher than broad; 

 its tip depressed. Size small (i. e. less than 15 inches long). Color uniform 

 blue or with ashy on body, and black wings and tail. 



Color ashy, with wings and tail mainly black. Culmen convex, gonys 

 slightly concave. Nostrils covered by short nasal tuft - Picicorvus- 



Color uniform blue, bright on the head; the throat streaked with 

 whitish. Culmen straight; gonys slightly convex. Nostrils completely 

 exposed; no nasal tufts - Gymnokitta. 



Only the first of the above genera has representatives in eastern 

 North America, the other two being distinctly western. 



GIN s CORVUS LINNJEUS. 



Corvus Lrsiraus, Syst. Nat. ed. 10, i. 1758, 105. Type, Corvus corax LINN. 



"GEN. CHAR. The nasal feathers lengthened, reaching to or beyond the middle of the 

 bill. Nostrils large, circular, overhung behind by membrane, the edges rounded else- 

 where. Rictus without bristles. Bill nearly as long as the tarsus, very stout; much 

 higher than broad at the base, culmen much arched. Wings reaching nearly or quite to 

 the tip of the tail, the outer four primaries sinuated internally. Tarsi longer than the 

 middle toe, with a series of small scales on the middle of each side separating the an- 

 'terior scutellate portion from the posterior continuous plates. Sides of the head occa- 

 sionally with nearly naked patches. Tail graduated or rounded." (Hist. JY. Am. B.t 



The following species occur in eastern North America : 



A. Feathers of the throat elongated, narrow, and with very distinct outlines. (Ear en?.) 



1. C. corax sinnatus. I-Vailu-rs nf the neck and breast dull gray beneath the surface. 

 Wing more than 10 inches., tail 9.50 or more. 



2. C. cryptoleucus. Feathery, of the neck'and breast -pure white beneath the surf;icc. 

 Wing less than 15 inches: tail less than 9. 



