CORVUS CORAX, RAVEN. 205 



1834, 476, pi. 101 ; Syn. 1839, 150 ; B. Am. iv, 1843, 78, pi. 224.— GiR., B. L. I. 

 1844, 149.— Bp., Consp. 1, 1850, 387.— Woodh., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 78.— Heerm., 

 P. R. R. Rep. X, 1859, pt. vi, 54. — Allen, Mem. Bost. Soc. i, 1868, 525 (Indiana) ; 

 , Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 178.— Finsch, Abh. Nat. iii, 1872, 40 (Alaska). 



Corvits var. ferrccnsis, Brunn. ; C. leucomeJas, Wagl. ; C, leucojihceus, Vieill., Gal. Ois. 

 pi. 100 (individuals streaked with white). 



Corvtis corax var. Uttoralis, Holboll, Kroyer's Tidskrift, iv, 1843, 390 (Greenland and 

 Labrador). 



Corvus corax (var?), Coues, Key, 1872, 162. 



Corvits corax var. carnivwus, B. B. & R., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 234, pi. 37, f. 6. 



Corvus maximus, Scop., Ann. i, 34, No. 45. « 



Corvus clericus, Sparrm., Mus. Carls, pi. 2. 



Coi'vus major, Vieill., et C. montanus, Temm. ; Le Vaill., Ois. Afr. pi. 61. — Bp., Consp. 

 i, 1850, 387 (.s/J. apocrypha). 



Corvus carnivorus, Bart., Trav. Fla. 1793, 290.— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 560.— Coop. & 

 Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 210, pi. 21.— Wheat., Ohio Agric. Rep. I860.— 

 Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1861, 225 (Labrador) ; ihid. 1866, 91 (Arizona).— 

 Hayd., Rep. 1862, 70.— Lord, Pr. Roy. Arty. Inst, iv, 1864, 121 (British Colnm- 

 bia.— Dress., Ibis, 1865, 494 (Texas).— Dall & Bann., Tr. Chic. Acad. 1869, 

 285 (Alaska).— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 282.— Stev., U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1870, 

 465 ; and of most late American writers. 



Corvus cacalotl, Wagl., Isis, 1831, 527 (Mexico).— Bp., P. Z. S. 1837, 115; Consp. i, 

 1850, 387.- Maxim., Reise, ii, 1841, 289.— Maxim., J. f. O. 1858, 195.— Newb., 

 P. R. R. Rep. vi, 1857, 82.— Kenx., P. R. R. Rep. x, 1859, pt. iv, 31, pi. 20.— 

 Bd., B. N. a. 1858, 563.— SCL., Ibis, i, 1859, 21 (Guatemala).— Sumich., Mem. 

 Bost. Soc. i, 1869, 553 (Vera Cruz). 



Corvus siuuaius, Wagl., Isis, 1829, 748 (Mexico). 



Corvus cafototi, Bp., Comp. List, 1838, 28. 



Corvus iwhiUs, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, 79.— Bp., Consp. i, 1850, 386 (Mexico). 



Corvus " sphndens, Gould," Bp., P. Z. S. 1837, 115 (error). Not of Vielll. 



Corvus luguhris, Agas., Pr. Bost. Soc. ii, 1846, 188. 



" Corvus tliibcfauus, Hodgs." 



" Corvus vocifcrus, Cab." 

 Gray's Hand-list, Nos. 6181-84, and 6189-90. 



Eah.—ln North America, generally distributed. Throughout British America. 

 Everywhere in United States west of the Mississippi (according to Aiken, Am. Nat. 

 vii, 16, the Ravens of Colorado are chiefly C. cryptolcucus). Rare, or wanting in differ- 

 ent parts of Eastern United States. On the Atlantic coast, regularly south to Maine, 

 where it nests {Boardman) ; rarely to Southern New England, New York, Pennsylvania, 

 and New Jersey. Formerly breeding in Middle States and mouT>taiuous parts of South 

 Caxolina {Audubon). li&ntxxQky {Audubon). Ohio {Wheaion). Indiana (if«(/»ioH(Z; for- 

 merly numerous, became exceedingly rare" in 185()). Not found in the Gulf States, ex- 

 cepting Texas. South into Mexico {C." cacalotl," " sinuaius," " splendens," and " nobilis "). 

 Guatemala. 



Lieutenant Warren's Expedition.— 518G, Fort Randall, Dakota; 4546, source Little 

 Missouri River ; L'Eau qui comt ; 5787, Fort Pierre. 



Later Expeditions. — 54316, 60813, Wyoming. 



It is impossible to distinguish our Raven specifically from the European, and the 

 grounds for si^paratiiig even a C. corax var. carnivorus are very slight. The American 

 bird may average a trifle larger, with a correspondingly more robust bill; but the 

 dift'ereuco in these respects is entirely within the normal individual variability of the 

 bird, being equaled if not exceeded among specimens from each country. As to the 

 Raven of Mexico, described as distinct under a variety of names, it appears to bo 

 somewhat more richly iridescent, as a consequence of its subtropical habitat ; from 

 the same circumstances, the bill and feet may average relatively larger. 



It is unnecessary to mention particular localities in the West, where the Raven is 

 more or less numerous ; it is so generally distributed, that its great abundance, scar- 

 city, or absence at various points merely represent incidents in the career of individ- 

 uals, drawn together by abundance of food or other favoring circumstances, and dis- 

 persed under opposite conditions. In fact, the restriction of it.s range in tlie United 

 States is probably reducible to a fortuitous matter, since this !)inl, like some others, 

 sooner or later finds the advance of civilization uiisupportable, and retires to regions 

 more congenial to its wild and wary nature. 



