THE AMERICAN RAVEN. 355 



Family CORVIDJE. 



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

 little more), the outer four sinuated on tiie injier edge; the nasal fosste and nostrils 

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

 short appressed lateral branches extending to the verj' 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. — TTie 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. 



CORVUS, LiNN^us. 



Corvus, LiNNvEUS, Syst. Nat. (1735). (Type Oorvus corax, L.) 

 The nasal feathers lengthened, reacliing 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 ft-om the posterior 

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

 graduated -or rounded; the outer four primaries sinuated internally. 



CORTDS CARNIVORUS. — Bartram. 



The American Raven. 



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

 Corvus corax, 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 sixtii ; 

 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 near the base; the bill is very long (three inches), and considerably 

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



