210 ZOOLOGY. 



Sp. Ch. — Bin Btout, quiscaline, the commissure scarcely einuated; sliorter than the head and the hind toe; the 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. Female much duller, of a light 

 brownish anteriorly; a very faint superciliary stripe. 



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



Hah. — High Central Plains to the Pacific; south to Mexico; Pembina, Minn. 



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

 it is a constant resident at the Cohtmbia 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 brigJd ydlou\ that of the female 

 hroivn. — S. 



Family CORVOAE. 



Sub-Family CORVINAE. Crows. 



CORVUS CARNIVORUS, Bar tram. 



AnieHcaii Raven. 



Carvus cariiivorus, Bartkam, Travels in E. Florida, 1793, 290. Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 560. 

 Carvwfcorax, Wilson, Am. Orn IX, 1825, 136; pi. Ixxv, f. 3.— Bonap. Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 36.— In. Syu. 1828, 

 56. — DouGHTy, Cab. N. H. I, 1830, 270; pi. xxiv.— Rich. F. B, Am. II, 1831,290.— 

 NcTTALL, Man. I, 1832, 202.— Ann. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 476 ; pi. 101.— Is. Syn. 1839, 150.— 

 In. Birds Amer. IV, 1S42, 78 ; pi. 224. 

 Corvus cacaloti, Newberry, P. R. R. Rep. VI, iv, 1857, 82. 

 Corvus liiguhris, Agasbiz, Tr. Host. Soc. N. H. II, Dec. 1846, 188. 

 Sp. Ch. — Fourth quill longest ; third and fifth quill 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. 

 Hub. — Entire continent of North America. Rare east of the Mississippi. 



The raven is very common in tlie 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, Avhere they can obtain a better suj)ply 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 quai'rel, the smaller crows would respectfully i-etire on the 

 approach of the raven to its food. But during sjDring, 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 Fuca. It contained young in April. — C. 



This bird I first found plentifid when, ingoing west, we reached the "great bend" of the 

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



