CORVID^ — THE CROWS. 233 



Species and Varieties. 



RAVENS. Feathers of the chin and tln-oat stiia-iicd, elonjrated, narrow and 

 hvneeolatc, with their outlines very distinct. 



1. C. corax var. carnivorus. Length about 25.00; wing, 17.00; 

 tail, 10.00; graduation nt tail, 1.60 to 2.40. Feathers of the neck 

 and breast light gray beneath surface. Hah. Whole of North 

 America : Guatemala and Mexico. Rare in Eastern United States. 



2. C. cryptoleucus. Length about 21.00; wing, 14.00; tail, 

 8.50; graduation of tail, about 1.25. Feathers of neck and breast 

 snowy-white beneath surface. Hah. Llano Estacado, or Staked 

 Plain of Texas; Arizona; Colorado. 



CROWS. Feathers of chin and throat soft, short, broad, obtuse, and with 

 their webs blended. 



A. Angle of mouth leathered — North American Crows. 



a. Tarsus longer than the bill. First quill not longer than tenth. 



3. C. americanus. The gloss of the plumage purplish-violet, and 

 hardly ijerceplible on head and neck, middle toe and claw rather 

 shorter than tarsus, measured from beginning of scutellaj. 



Wing, 12.25; tail, 7.20; culraen, 1.85; tarsus, 2.00; middle 

 toe, 1.45 ; wing-formula, 4, 3. 5, 6, 2 ; first quill equal to 

 tentli. Hah. North America generally . var. a m erica n v s .' 



Wing, 12..50; tail, 7.20; culmen, 2.10; tar.?us, 2..30 ; middle 

 toe, 1.60. \Ving-formula ? (moulting). Hah. South Florida. 



var. flo r i d a it ii .< . 



4. C. ossifragus. The gloss of plumage violaceous-blue, almost 

 green on the head, neck, and breast, where very perceptible. 

 Middle toe and claw longer than tarsus, as above. Wing, 10.50 ; 

 tail, 6.50 ; culmen, 1.55 ; tarsus, 1.65 ; middle toe, 1.35. Wing- 

 formula, 4, 3, 5; first quill slightly shorter than tenth. Hah. 

 Atlantic Coast of the United States. 



&. Tarsus shorter than the bill. First quill longer than tenth. 



5. C. caurinus. Gloss of the plumage as in americanus, but 

 deeper. Wing, 10.50; tail, 6.40; culmen, 1.95; tarsus, 1.70; mid- 

 dle toe, 1.25. Wing-formula, 4, 3, 5. Hah. Northwestern coast 

 of North America. 



6. C. mexicanus.^ Plumage highly lustrous, blended. Soft bur- 

 nished steel-blue, changing to violet on the crown, and with a 

 greenish cast on lower parts. Wing, 9.00 ; tail, G.50 ; culmen, 

 1.60; tarsu.'!, 1.20; middle toe, 1.10. Wing-formula, 4, 3,5. 

 First quill very much longer than tenth. Hub. Western Mexico 

 (Mazatlan, etc.). 



B. Angle of mouth naked — West Imlian Crows. 

 a. Tarsus much shorter than tlie bill. 



1 The measurements given are of a California specimen, in order the better to show the great 

 distinction to be made b('t\veen this species and caurinus, which is prolrably not found in 

 California, being a more northern species, and having the coast of Washington Territory, or 

 perhaps Oregon, as about its southern limit. 



^ C. mexicanits, Gmel. Syst. Nat. p. 375. This spebies is perfectly distinct from all the 

 others. The plumage has a silky blended character, and very high lustre, almost exactly as in 

 the larger Clrakles (Quiscalus major, etc.). 



VOL. II. 30 



