Jan., 1909. Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 547 



Adult: Entire plumage, blue black; throat feathers, elongated 

 and attenuated; sexes, similar. 



Length, 21 to 25 or more; wing, 16 to 18; tail, about 10; bill, 2.50. 



The difference between the Northern and American Ravens is 

 mainly one of size, the northern form being larger and the bill 

 relatively larger and broader; but intermediate specimens occur 

 which are apparently indistinguishable. Under the circumstances, 

 for the present at least, until a series of specimens can be obtained 

 from the different localities, it may be well to consider Wisconsin and 

 northern Illinois specimens as principalis and those from southern 

 Illinois as sinuatus. 



According to Mr. Nelson (Birds N. E. 111., 1876, p. 112) the Raven 

 was "formerly a not uncommon resident, now only occurs in winter 

 and is rare. Frequents the sand hills along the lake shore from the 

 last of October until spring. The first of November, 1875, I saw 

 several specimens near Waukegan, where they were repeatedly seen 

 flying along the lake shore and also eating the dead fish found there." 

 Mr. Frank M. Woodruff procured a bird of this species at Meredosia, 

 111., on Oct. 23, 1892. The specimen was examined by Prof. Ridg- 

 way and pronounced principalis (Auk, 1896, p. 83). The form which 

 occurs in Missouri, however, is apparently the American Raven 

 (C c. sinuatus), as Mr. Otto Widman gives it as formerly a perma- 

 nent resident in that state and records a set of five eggs having been 

 taken by Mr. Philo W. Smith, Jr., at Hahatonka, Camden Co., Mis- 

 souri, on April 5, 1901 (Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis, 1907, p. 147), 

 so that it is not unlikely that both forms may still occur in Illinois. 



Mr. Ridgway states (Birds of Illinois, 1889, p. 331) : " The Raven is 

 a very local and nowhere abundant bird in Illinois. The writer has 

 seen it only in the bottoms of Big Creek and about the borders of 

 Fox Prairie, in Richmond Co., where up to 1871 at least one or two 

 pairs might be seen at almost any time, usually soaring in circles 

 over the timber." Mr. H. K. Coale writes me he observed a Raven 

 at Highland Park, 111., in the spring of 1908. 



In Wisconsin according to Kumlien and Hollister, the Northern 

 Raven {C. c. principalis) is not tmcommon. They write (Birds of Wis- 

 consin, 1903, p. 85): "Steadily decreasing in numbers, but yet rather 

 a common species in the less settled portions of northern Wisconsin. 

 Dr. Hoy, in 1852, gave it as more numerous than the next at Racine. 

 It has always been considered as more common along Lake Michigan 

 than in the interior, except in the northern part of the state. * * * 

 King gives it as 'common the whole length of the Flambeau River, 

 October and November, 1877, several seen daily.' Willard reports 



