CORVID.^ — THE CROWS. 



235 



Sp. Char. Fourth quill longest ; third and fifth about equal ; second between fifth 

 and sixth ; first nearly equal to the eighth. Length, about 24.00 or 25.00 ; extent, 50.00 

 to 51.00; wing, about 17.00; tail, 10.00. Tail moderately graduated; the outer feather 

 about 1.60 to 2.40 inches less than the middle. Entirely glossy black, with burnished 

 violet reflections. 



Hab. Entire continent of North America. Rare east of the Mississippi. South to 

 Guatemala. 



Though easily distinguishable from the European Ijird, the American Eaven 

 is so nearly related to it as to be beyond doubt referrible to it as a variety. 

 The differences presented in a very large series of both forms are, however, 

 very constant and tangible. In the American, bird the l)ill is always longer 

 and less deep, and the plumage is more highly burnished, while the wings, 

 especially the secondaries, are perceptibly of a more reddish violet than 

 the other portions. Though in an immense series of American specimens 

 many differences of form and size are noted, yet there is nothing sufficiently 

 characteristic of any particular region to indicate more than one variety. 

 As a rule, however, spe- 

 cimens from the high 

 north exceed in size 

 those from elsewhere, 

 and have the bill more 

 robust, though not so 

 short as in the European 

 bird ; while those from 

 the Middle Province and 

 Mexico to Guatemala 

 (= " cacalotl^' Baird et 

 Auct.) have the plumage 

 more brilliant than oth- 

 ers, and frequently the 

 bill very narrow. 



Habits. Assuming 

 that we must consider 

 as but one species the 

 two differing forms of 

 Eaven found in North America, we find this bird more or less common 

 throughout nearly the whole continent. It is much more abundant in some 

 regions than in others, and, as a general rule, is much more common and 

 also more generally distributed in the western portion, where also its habits 

 are remarkably different from the manners of its eastern representative. 



It seems to be more or less common throughout the Arctic regions. 

 Mr. Kennicott met with Eavens at Lake Winnipeg. Mr. MacFarlane found 

 them abundant at Lockhart Elver, at Port Anderson, and on the Lower 

 Anderson Eiver. Mr. Eoss obtained them at Fort Simpson, ]\[r. Eeid at 



