Mr. Elliott Coues on Picicorvus columbianus. 



53 



relationship are illustrated, more or less perfectly : doubtless 

 others might be added ; but these will suffice : — 



European. 



Cinclus aquaticus. 



Budytes flava. 



Pliyllopneuste, sp. varise. 



^gitbalus, et aff. 



Lophoplianes cristatus. 



Coccotliraustes vulgaris. 



PjTrhula coccinea. 



Niicifraga caryocatactes. 



Cypselus apiis ; C. melba. 



Falco lanarius, ct aff. 



Buteo Tulgaris. 



Columba livia ; C. palumbus ; C. 



cenas. 

 ^gialites cantiaca. 

 Aiiser albifrons. 

 Somateria stelleri. 

 Oolymbus arcticus. 

 Podiceps aui'itus (auct. nee L. ?). 



Western American. 

 Cinclus mexicanus. 

 Budytes flava. 

 Phyllopneuste kennicotti. 

 Psaltriparus, sp. ; Auriparus. 

 Lopbophanes wollweberi. 

 Hesperiphona vespertiua. 

 Pyrrhula coccinea, var. cassini *, 

 Picicorvus columbianus. 

 Panyptila et Nephocoetes. 

 Falco polyagrus. 

 Buteo swaiusoui (Bri/atit). 

 Columba fasciata ; C. fla\drostris. 



^gialitis nivosa (=cantiacus?j. 

 A user gambelli (chiefly western). 

 Somateria stelleii. 

 Colymbus arcticus, var. pacificus. 

 Podiceps californicus. 



But, close as the relations of Picicorvus are to Nucifraga, 

 we do not indorse the reference of the former to the latter 

 genus, so long as we are to employ generic names at their pre- 

 sent slight valuation; and still less can we assent to the recent 

 inclusion of Gymnokitta under Nucifraga. The bill of G. cijano- 

 cephala has a peculiar shape, recalling that of Sturnella, while 

 the patent nostrils are a rare and remarkable feature among 

 Corvidce. The three genera may very well stand separate, even 

 if contiguous ; although doubtless true Corvince, they are hard 

 upon the obscure boundary-line of the subfamily, where the 

 Crows pass insensibly into the Jays. 



Clarke's Crow, first described by Wilson, with the intimation 

 that it inhabited " the shores of the Columbia, and the adjacent 

 country," may be considered one of the characteristic birds of 

 the Rocky-Mountain region of the United States, and to extend 

 thence to the Pacific ; but to this general indication of habitat 

 we can now give much more precision. The northernmost 

 record I have seen, is the one Mr. W. H. Dall gives (Trans. 

 * [(?/•. Tristram, Ibis, 1871, p. 231.— Ed.] 



