April, 191S] rhc Ravens of North America 221 



Corviis corax principalis. Birds from central southern British 

 Columbia are clearly the present form; in fact, specimens 

 examined are practically typical, as indeed also are the few 

 seen from southwestern Mackenzie. There is not yet sufficient 

 material available to determine the northeastern limits of the 

 range of Corvus corax siniiatus in Manitoba. Although no 

 specimens have been examined from the northeastern part of 

 the State of Washington, the raven inhabiting that region 

 belongs probably to the present race. 



This western raven was originally described by Wagler' from 

 a specimen taken in Mexico. In view of the multiplication of 

 races in North America, and since the specimen on which 

 Wagler' s name was based probably came from eastern Mexico, 

 we hereby designate Orizaba, Vera Cruz, Mexico, as the type 

 locality. Concerning none of the other synonyms above cited 

 in the synonymy of Corvus corax sinuatus is there any question, 

 excepting perhaps Corvus carnivorus Baird.- This is a com- 

 posite name, adopted from Bartram, whose specific names, of 

 being non-binomial, are unacceptable; and the status of course, 

 this one m^ust be determined, therefore, solely by the use made 

 of it by Baird, since he first gave it nomenclatural status. 

 His account'* includes all four of the North American races 

 here recognized, all of which he considers as belonging to a 

 single form, and which he called the "common North American 

 raven." The name Corvus carnivorus is certainly unavailable 

 for the bird from the eastern United States, since Baird's text 

 was evidently all written before he had seen a specimen of 

 that form, and his characters were undoubtedly drawn entirely 

 from western birds. The only specimen of the eastern raven 

 that he was able to see at all was a specimen from New Jersey, and 

 notice of that he subsequently inserted in a footnote.^ It 

 is also indicated by his text that neither can the name be 

 legitimately used for Corvus corax principalis Ridgway, a view 

 evidently taken by Mr. Ridgway in describing the latter sub- 

 species. Since most of Baird's specimens are referable to the 

 bird now called Corvus corax sinuatus, which is the commonest 

 and best known North American form, it seems most logical 



^Corvtis sinuatus Wagler, Isis. 1829, p. 74S. 



2Rep. Explor. &• Surv. R. R. Pac, IX, 1858, p. 560. 



^Loc. cit. 



*Loc. cit., p. 561. 



