564 U. S. p. E. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



A second specimen of this species is a good deal smaller and has the third quill longest. 

 This I am, however, inclined to consider a monstrosity, as I can find but eight primaries, the 

 fourth, at least, probably wanting. In this skin the outer tail leather is 2.30 inches shorter than 

 the middle. • 



Number 10295, from the Colorado desert, I am inclined to consider the same, although the 

 very great amount of graduation in the tail is owing partly to the fact that the feathers have 

 not fully grown out. The tail feathers are very broad ; the inner ones fully two inches wide. 



In comparing a skin of this species (No. 6855) with a typical one of C. carnivorus from Fort Ran- 

 dall, 5186, almost no difference is appreciable in the bill ; the wing is a little longer, with much 

 the same proportion of quills, the first intermediate between the seventh and eighth, instead of 

 equal to the seventh, (a proportion rather peculiar to 5186.) The tail is much more graduated, 

 the difierence amounting to near half an inch. The colors of the two, as far as I can judge, are 

 precisely the same. It is, perhaps, a question, whether it be really different from the eastern 

 bird, but as the wings are longer, the tarsi shorter, and the tail rather more graduated, I shall, 

 for the present, separate them. 



In looking out for a name to give this more southern species, if really distinct, I find that of 

 Corvus cacalotl, Wagler,^ to answer best. This is described as being 25^ inches long ; the 

 wing, 17 ; the tail, nearly 10 ; the tarsus, 2^ ; bill along the rictus, 3^ ; circumference of bill 

 in the middle, 2^ ; height, 11 lines. "It is similar, in general, to the European ravens, but 

 with longer, more slender tarsi, more compressed and slender bill, and longer, more cuneate 

 tail, &c." Allowing for the greater size of the German foot, the description would come 

 sufiiciently near to that of the skin from Bill Williams' fork, and I shall therefore adopt this 

 name. 



The Corvus sinuatus of Wagler is said to have the tomia sinuated and bent outwards, the nostrils 

 concealed posteriorly only ; the region beneath the eye somewhat naked, &c. The length, 25 

 inches; wing, l&j-j', tarsi, 2^; middle tail feather, 9|; outer, almost T; bill from forehead, 3:^. 

 Hab., Mexico. 



I owe to Mr. Lawrence the opportunity of examining a raven from Texas, which is even 

 larger than that from the Colorado. It is unfortunately moulting some of its quills and tail 

 feathers and its full characters cannot be ascertained. The bristly feathers of the nostrils are 

 growing out, their basal portion still enveloped in its sheath, leaving the nostrils exposed. 

 This may have been the case in the specimen of Corvus sinuatus described by Wagler. 



The general appearance is that of the Colorado raven, although it is rather larger, and 

 the middle toe is shorter in proportion. The lustre is much the same. The size is every way 

 greater than that of the North American raven. 



In the uncertainty as to what limits of variation may be allowed to the North American 

 Corvidae, and in the imperfect condition of Mr. Lawrence's specimen, I shall not venture to 

 make it distinct from cacalotl, which itself is perhaps very uncertain. Should it be different, it 

 may properly be called C. nohilis, Gould, unless the C, sinuatus of Wagler should prove to be 



' Other references to Mexican species of ravens are as follows : 



Corvus sinuatus, Wagler, Isis, 1829, VII, 748. Mexico. 

 Corvus cacalotl, Wagler, Isis, 1831, 527. Mexico. 



Corvus nobitis, Gould, Pr. Zool. Soc. 1837, 79. — Bon. Conspectus, 1850, 386. 



Corvus spUndens, " Gould." — Bow. Pr. Zool. Soc 1837, 115. (Not of Vieillot.) An erroneous quotation of Gould, 

 by Bonaparte. 



