Catalogue of tJie Birds of Illinois. 183 



186. S. ci/anocephalus (Wagler) Caban. Brewer's Blackbird. An occa- 

 sional straggler from the west. 



^tfA 



Genus Quiscalus, Vieillot. 

 •"IS?. Q. pHrpureus wneiis, Ridgw. Bronzed Grackle. Resident south- 



ward; summer sojourner noi'thward. The common " Blackbird." 



Family COR VIDtE.— Crows and Jays. 



Genus Corvus, Linnsus. 



*lo8. C corrta; can; /cor^s (Bartr.) Ridgw. American Raven. Resident, 

 but very local. 



*139. C. fnif/ivonis, Bartr. Common Crow. Resident; abundant, and 

 generally distributed.* 



Genus Pica, Cuvier. 



140. P. rusfica hudsortica (Sabine) Baird. Black-billed American Magpie. 

 Of very doubtful occurrence in Illinois, at least at present, but given by Mr. 

 Kennicott as a rare winter visitant to the extreme northern counties. 



Genus Cyanocttta, Strickland. 



ff^ '->;*141. C. cristata (Linn.) Strickl. Blue Jay. Resident; abundant, and 

 generally distributed. In most localities one of the most familiar of the native 

 birds, quite in contrast to its habits in the eastern states. 



Family ALAUDID^E.— Larks. 



Genus Eremophila, Boie. 



''/^Vv*142. ^. o?/)e.s<>-(.s (Forster) Boie. Horned Lark. Resident entire state, 

 but chiefly the prairie districts.! 



*It is altogether likely that the Fish Crow (C. ossf/rof/i/s, Wilson), will eventually 

 have to be added to the list of Illinois birds. I have several times heard, on the Wa- 

 bash river, at Mt. Oarmel, the notes of a Crow which were identical with those of this 

 species, whose voice is exceedinj^ly different from that of the common kind, being a 

 sort of "cracked" croak, or barking- sound; something like we would imagine a com- 

 mon crow with a very bad cold to utter. The species should be sought for along the 

 larger streams in the southern part of the state, since its habitat is strictly littoral 

 and fliiviatile, and at the same time essentially southern. 



+Mr. Nelson includes the pale form distinguished by the name of leucoUema, Coues, 

 in his list (p. 110). This, however, is an error, so far as the specimens upon which the 

 statement was based are concerned, but one for which I am chietly responsible. A 

 series of specimens was submitted to me for examination, and certain examples, in 

 very pale plumage, I pronounced to be the "var. lexical mm a." In this I was mis- 

 taken,, the individuals in question proving to be the true nlpestris, in much faded 

 summer plumage. Although it is frequently not easy to distinguish the adults of the 

 two forms, there is never any difficulty with the young, that of leucnhvma being 

 many shades lighter in color, the difference being moreover absolutely constant. 

 I was only made aware of my mistake by the subsetiuent inspection of young birds 

 said to be the same form which I had previously identifled as leuc.ohema; and, neglect- 

 ing to explain the case in time, am thus responsible in great measure for the 

 statements made by Mr. Nelson in regard to these birds, as cited above. 



