BIRDS OF KANSAS. 383 



These birds of the plains are essentially tlie same in habits 

 and actions as the Mexican Raven, differing, however, in their 

 manner of nesting, and are more gregarious. I first met with 

 them in New Mexico, in the fall of 1880, and captured my first 

 pair at San Marcial. I copy from my notes written at the time: 



"I was surprised to find the birds so abundant in this vicin- 

 ity (San Marcial). They were in company with the common 

 Raven — C. corax simiatus — from which they were readily dis- 

 tinguished by their smaller size, slimmer build, and in flight, by 

 their wings, which appear less rounded. I first noticed a pair 

 at Galisteo, and now and then one or more on my way down 

 the Rio Grande; but nowhere abundant until I reached this 

 place (the present terminus and headquarters of the railroad 

 builders of the A. T. & S. F. R. R., which will soon be com- 

 pleted to El Paso), where they have assembled in numbers to 

 feed about the camps of the graders and workmen scattered 

 along the line. I am told that they follow the railroad builders, 

 rarely ever far to the front or rear. They are quite bold, flock- 

 ing about the camps as soon as the men roll out for work, to 

 pick up the scattering grains where the horses and mules have 

 been fed, and the offal about the tents. I counted one morning 

 at sunrise over a hundred, and with them at least thirty common 

 Ravens. 



"Their voice differs in not being so loud and coarse; and I 

 now know from their notes that I saw, several years ago, a pair 

 at McAllister, Indian Territory." 



I will add that I have since met with the birds in Arizona, 

 Mexico, Colorado, and several times in western Kansas. The 

 following interesting description of their nesting habits is given 

 by Capt. Chas. Bendire: 



"This species is the most abundant of the Corvidm found in 

 Arizona, and is a resident throughout the year. It is not at all 

 shy. Lieutenant Benson writes me, that numbers of them are 

 seen almost daily about the oflBcers' and men' s quarters, at Fort 

 Huachuca, and that they are so tame that they will often let one 

 pass within twenty feet of them without flying off. I have per- 

 sonally shot numbers of them, in my camp on Rillito Creek, in 



