210 ZOOLOGY. 



SP. CH. Bill stout, quiscaline, the commissure scarcely sinuated ; shorter than the head and tha hinl toe ; tho height 

 nearly half the length above. Wing nearly an inch longer than tail ; the second quill longest ; the first about equal to the 

 third. Tail rounded and moderately graduated ; the lateral feathers about .35 of an inch shorter. General color of male 

 black, with lustrous green reflections everywhere except on the head and neck, which are glossed with purplish violet. Fem-ile 

 much duller, of a light brownish anteriorly ; a very faint superciliary stripe. 



Male, 9| inches; extent, 16^ inches. Female, 9J inches; extent, 14| inches; wing, 5.30; tail, 4.40. 



Hob. High Central plains to the Pacific ; south to Mexico ; Pembina, Minn. 



In winter I obtained specimens of the western grackle at Vancouver, and have no doubt that 

 it is a constant resident at the Columbia river. I have never seen them at Puget Sound. In 

 notes and habits they are scarcely distinguishable from the rusty grackle of the Atlantic States. 

 In winter they kept about the stables in flocks of fifty or more, and on warm days would fly 

 about more in the tree tops, where, with the redwing, they sang their harsh but pleasant chorus 

 for some hours. They are found throughout the Territory and east of the Rocky mountains. C. 



Quite abundant at Fort Dalles ; rare west of the Cascade mountains. The species is a winter 

 resident at the Dalles, where in flocks it may frequently be found in cold weather in the vicinity 

 of barnyards and stables. The iris of the male bird is of a Bright yelloiv, that of the female 

 brown. S. 



Family COttVIDAE. 



Sub-Family CORVINAE. Crows. 



CORVUS CARNIVORUS, Bar tram. 



American Raven. 



Corvus carnivorus, BARTRAM, Travels in E. Florida, 1793, 290. BATED, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 560. 

 Corvus corax, WILSON, Am. Orn. IX, 1825, 136; pi. Ixxv, f. 3. BONAP. Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 36. IB. Syn. 1828, 56. 

 DOUGHTY, Cab. N. H. I, 1830, 270; pi. xxiv. RICH. F. B. Am. II, 1831, 290. NTJTTALL, Man. I, 

 1832, 202. AUD. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 476; pi. 101. In. Syn. 1839, 150. IB. Birds Amer. IV, 1842. 

 73 ; pi. 224. 



Corvus cacalotl, NEWBEBRY, P. R. R. Rep. VI, iv, 1857, 82. 

 Corvus luffubris, AGASSIZ, Pr. Bost. Soc. N. H. II, Dec. 1846, 188. 



SP, CH Fourth quill longest ; third and fifth quills about equal ; second between fifth and sixth ; first nearly equal to 

 the eighth. Length, about 24 to 25 inches ; extent, 50 to 51; wing, about 17; tail, 10. Tail moderately graduated ; the 

 outer about 1.60 to 1.90 of an inch less than the middle. Entirely glossy back, with violet reflections. 

 Hob. Entire continent of North America. Rare east of the Mississippi. 



The raven is very common in the mountainous western regions. During summer they are 

 less abundant, as they are then scattered through the forests and mountains, but in winter they 

 congregate about settlements and the sea-shore, where they can obtain a better supply of food. 

 On the barren arid plains east of the Cascade mountains they were very common, during our 

 journey there, while the common crow was rarely seen. At Vancouver, however, in winter, I 

 observed them amicably associating together, and along the coast with the more gregarious 

 fish-crows. Though they did not quarrel, the smaller crows would respectfully retire on the 

 approach of the raven to its food. But during spring, when they had nests, the fish-crows 

 would boldly attack and drive them away, being quicker and lighter on the wing than the 

 raven. The only raven s nest I have seen was on a tree growing on a cliff about 50 feet high, 

 on the shores of the Straits of De Fnca. It contained young in April. C. 



This bird I first found plentiful when, in going west, we reached the &quot;great bend&quot; of the 

 upper Missouri. In the Rocky mountains and adjacent country it is very abundant, and 



