CORVID^ — THE CROWS. 243 



White-necked Eaven we have very little knowledge. It was first described 

 by Lieutenant Couch, in 1854, from specimens obtained by him at Cliarco 

 Escondido, Mexico, in May, 1853. Other specimens were afterwards pro- 

 cured by Dr. Kennerly, at Janos, Mexico, in 1855, and by Mr. Dresser at 

 Eagle Pass, Texas, in March, 1864. The latter gives no notes as to its 

 habits. 



Dr. Kennerly's note in regard to it is that it was not very common, and 

 when seen was generally associated with the larger species of Raven. Lieu- 

 tenant Couch merely mentions it as found in small numbers in Eastern 

 Tamaulipas, generally near ranches. 



Mr. J. H. Clark writes that this species does not seem to possess the 

 cunning or wariness of its congeners. It was met with, in the greatest 

 abundance, about watering-places. It was not Ibund habitually in great 

 flocks, though at the head of the Limpia many were congregated and flying 

 about the face of an immense rocky mountain wall, where they were 

 probably nesting. Their note he describes as coarse, and less shrill than 

 that of the common Crow. He met with tlie supposed nest in an arbo- 

 rescent cactus. 



Dr. Coues does not appear to have met with this species in Arizona, but 

 Lieutenant Bendire writes to Professor Baird from Tucson, April 12, 1872, 

 that it is the most common Crow or Eaven there. This he discovered 

 accidentally, finding that three fourths of the Eavens he shot proved to be 

 of this species ; the others were tlie Colorado race of the Eaven. Speci- 

 mens of this Crow were obtained at Fort Buchanan by Dr. Irwin, at Pecos 

 Eiver by Dr. Anderson, and in the Indian Territory by Mr. McCarthy. 



An egg of this species, from Trout Creek, Texas, obtained June 20 by 

 Charles S. McCarthy, measures 1.75 inches in length by 1.25 in breadth. 

 The ground-color is a light grayish-green, and is pretty uniformly marked 

 with fine dottings of mingled purple and brown. 



Corvus americanus, Aud. 



COMMON CROW. 



Corviis corone, Wilson, Am. Orn. IV, 1811, 79, pi. xxv, f. 3. — Bon. Obs. Wils. 1824, 

 No. 37. — Ib. Syn. 1828, 56. —Rich. F. B. Am. II, 1831, 291. — Nuttall, Man. I, 

 1832, 209 (not Corvus corone of Linn.). Corvus americanus, Aud. Orn. Biog. 11, 1834, 

 317 ; V, 477, pi. clvi. — Ib. Syn. 1839, 150. — Ib. Birds Am. IV, 1842, 87, pi. ccxxv. 

 — Bon. List, 1838. — Ib. Consp. 1850, 385. — Nuttall, Man. I, (2d ed.,) 1840, 221. — 

 Maxim. Reise, I, 1839, 140. —Newberry,. Zool. Cal. & Or. Route, P. R. R. Rep. VI, 

 IV, 1857, 82. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 566, pi. xxiii. — Max. Caban. J. VI, 

 1858, 198. — ScHLEGEL, Notice sur les Corbeaux, 10, pi. i, f. 16. — Coues, P. A. N. S. 

 1861, 226. —Samuels, 357. —Allen, B. E. Fla. 297 (in part). 



Sp. Char. Fourth quill longest; second shorter than sixth; first shorter than ninth. 

 Grlossy black with violet reflections, even on the belly. Length, 19.00 to 20.00 ; wing, 

 13.00 to 13.50 ; tail about 8.00. Tarsus longer than the middle toe and claw. 



