THE AMERICAN BAVEN. 355 



FAMILY 



Primaries ten ; the first short, generally about half as long as the second (or a 

 little more), the outer four sinuated on the inner edge; the nasal fossae and nostrils 

 usually more or less concealed by narrow stiffened bristles (or bristly feathers), with 

 short appressed lateral branches extending to the very tip, all directed forwards ; 

 tarsi scutellate anteriorly, the sides undivided (except sometimes below) and separa- 

 ted from the anterior plates by a narrow, naked strip, sometimes filled up with small 

 scales; basal joint of middle toe united about equally to the lateral, generally for 

 about half the length ; bill generally notched. 



Sub-Family CORVINE. The Crows. 



Wings long and pointed ; longer than the tail, and, when closed, reaching nearly 

 to its tip, extending far beyond the under tail coverts ; the third, fourth, and fifth 

 quills forming the tip of the wing. 



CORVTJS, LINNAEUS. 



Gorws, LINN^US, Syst. Nat. (1735). (Type Corvus c&rax, L.) 

 The nasal feathers lengthened, reaching to or beyond the middle of the bill ; 

 nostrils large, circular, overhung behind by membrane, the edges rounded else- 

 where ; rictus without bristles ; bill nearly as long as the tarsus, very stout ; much 

 higher than broad at the base ; culmen much arched ; wings reaching to or nearly to 

 the tip of the tail ; tarsi longer than the middle toe, with a series of small scales on 

 the middle of each side separating the anterior scutellate portion from the posterior 

 continuous plates; side of the head occasionally with nearly naked patches; tail 

 graduated or rounded; the outer four primaries sinuated internally. 



COBVUS CAENIVOEUS. Bartram. 

 The American Raven. 



Corvus carnivorus, Bartram. Travels in E. Florida (1793), 290. 



Corvus cm-ax, Wilson. Am. Orn., IX. (1825) 136. Nutt. Man., I. (1832) 202. 

 Aud. Birds Am., IV. (1842) 78. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Fourth quill longest; third and fifth about equal ; second between fifth and sixth; 

 first nearly equal to the eighth; entirely glossy black, with violet reflections. 



In this species, the feathers of the head above and body are compact and blended; 

 those of the back of the neck are very smooth and even, but do not show the out- 

 lines of each separately as elsewhere; on the chin and throat, the feathers are 

 elongated and lanceolate, each one more or less pendent or free, with the outlines 

 distinct to nearthe base; the bill is very long (three inches), and considerably 

 curved, the upper mandible extending considerably over the upper at the end. 



