COEVUS COEAX, EAVEN. 



205 



1834, 4-6, pi. 101 ; Syo. 1839, 150 ; B. Am. iv, 1843, 78, pi. 224.— GiR., B. L. I. 

 1844, 149.— Bp., Consp. i, 1850, 387.— Woodh., Sitgr. Eep. 1853, 78.— Heerm., 

 P. R. E. Eep. X, 1859, pt. vi, 54.— Allen, Mem. Bost. Soc. i, 1868, 525 (Indiaua) ; 

 Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 178.— Finsch, Abh. Nat. iii, 1872, 40 (Alaska). 



Cm-viis var. fetrcenais, Brunn. ; C. leucomelas, Wagl. ; C. leucophceue, Vibill., Gal. Ois. 

 pi. 100 (iudividuals streaked with white). 



Conus cm-ax var. Uttoralis, Holb5ll, Kroyer's Tidskrift, iv, 1843, 390 (Greenland and 

 Labrador). 



Corvus corax (var ?), CouES, Key, 1872, 162. 



Corms corax var. eamivons, B. B. & E., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 234, pi. 37, f. 6. 



Corvus maximus, Scop., Ann. i, 34, No. 45. 



Corvus cUricus, Sparrm., Mus. Carls, pi. 2. 



Corvus major, Vieill., et C. montamis, Tbmm. ; Le Vaill., Ois. Afr. pi. 61. — Bp., Consp. 

 i, 1850, 387 (sp. apocrypha). 



Corvus carnivorus, Baet., Trav. Fla. 1793, 290.— Be, B. N. A. 1858, 560.— Coop. & 

 Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 210, pi. 21.— Wheat., Ohio Agric. Eep. 1860. — 

 CouES, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1861, 225 (Labrador) ; Hid. 1866, 91 (Arizona).- 

 Ha YD., Eep. 1862, 70.— Lord, Pr. Roy. Arty. Inst, iv, 1864, 121 (British Colum- 

 bia.--DEESS., Ibis, 1865, 494 (Texas).— Call & Bann., Tr. Chic. Acad. 1869, 

 285 (Alaska).— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 282.— Stbv., U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1870, 

 465 ; and of most late American writers. 



Conits cacalotl, Wagl., Isis, 1831, 527 (Mexico).— Bp., P. Z. S. 1837, 115; Consp. i, 

 1850, 387.- Maxim., Eeise, ii, 1841, 289.— Maxim., J. f. O. 1858, 195.— Newb., 

 P. E. R. Eep. vi, 1857, 82.— Kenn., P. R. E. Eep. x, 1859, pt. iv, 31, pi. 20.— 

 Bd., B. N. a. 1858, 563.— SCL., Ibis, i, 1859, 21 (Guatemala).— Sumioh., Mem. 

 Bost. Soc. j, 1869, 553 (Vera Cruz). . 



Corvus sinuatus, Wagl., Isis, 1829, 748 (Mexico). 



Comts calotott, Bp., Comp. List, 1838, 28. 



Corvus nolllis, Gould, P. Z. S. 183?, 79.— Bp., Consp. i, 1850, 386 (Mexico). 



Corims " sphmdens, Gould," Bp., P.-Z. S. 1837, 115 (error). Not of Vielll. 



Corvus lugubris, AgaS., Pr. Bost. Soc. ii, 1846, 188. 



" Corvus ildbetanus, Hodgs." 



" Corvus vooiferus, Cab." 

 Gray's Hand-list, Nos. 6181-84, and 6189-90. 



Sa}>:—la North America, generally distributed. Thronghont British America. 

 Everywhere in United States west of the Mississippi (according to Aiken, Am. Nat. 

 vii, 16, the Eavens of Colorado are chiefly C. cryptoleucus). Eare, or wanting in differ- 

 ent parts of Eastern United States. On the Atlantic coast, regularly south to Maine, 

 where it nests (Boardman) ; rarely to Southern New England, New York, Pennsylvania, 

 and New Jersey. Formerly breeding in Middle States and mountainous parts of South 

 Carolina (jM(Z;i!iO«). Kentno^j {Audubon). Ohio (Wheaton). Indiana (flat/mortd ; for- 

 merly numerous, became exceedingly rare in 1856). Not found in the Gulf States, ex- 

 cepting Texas. South into Mexico (C " cacalotl," " sinuatus," " splendeiis," and "nobilis"). 

 Guatemala. 



List of specimens. 



19300 



202 



Loc. not given . . 



F.V.Hayden 



25.00 



47.00 



16.00 



Licutenatit Wan'cn's Expedition. — 5186, Fort Eandall, Dakota ; 4546, source Little 

 Missouri River ; L'Eau qui court ; 5787, Fort Pierre. 



Late)- Expeditions. — 54316, 60813, Wyoming. 



It is impossible to distinguish our Eaven specifically from the European, and the 

 grounds for separating even a C. corax var. carnivorus are very slight. The American 

 bird may average a trifle larger, with a correspondingly more robust bill ; but the 

 difference in these respects is entirely within the normal individual variability of the 

 bird, being equaled if not exceeded among specimens from each country. As to the 

 Eaven of Mexico, described as distinct under a variety of names, it appears to be 

 somewhat more richly iridescent, as a consequence of its subtropical habitat ; from 

 the same circumstances, the bill and feet may average relatively larger. 



It is unnecessary to mention particular localities in the West, where the Eaven is 

 more or'less numerous ; it is so generally distributed, that its great abundance, scar- 

 city, or absence at various points merely represent incidents in the career of individ- 

 uals, drawn together by abundance of food or other favoring circumstances, and dis- 

 persed under opposite conditions. In fact, the restriction of its range in the United 

 States is prqjjahly reducible to a fortuitous matter, since this bird, like some others, 

 sooner or later finds the advance of civilization uasupportable, and retires to regions 

 more congenial to its wild and wary nature.x 



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