claeke's crow. 207 



Sab. — Temperate North America (to 55°, Bicliardson), excepting, probably, most of 

 the high central plains and the Southern Eocky Mountains, where the Raven abounds. 

 Var. caurinua along the Pacific coast, from Sitka to Lower California. Var. floridanua 

 is a larger-billcfl strain from Southern Florida. 



Lieutenant Warreii's Expedition. — 5188, mouth of Powder River; 5189-91, Fort Union, 

 Dakota ; 5192, Vermilion River. 



Lata- Expeditions. — 60461, La Bont^ Creek, Wyoming. 



The Corvus oaurinus is probably not specifically distinct, bnt may represent a littoral 

 variety, distinguished by its smaller size, and some particular mode of life, circum- 

 stances probably mutually explanatory. It is hardly necessary to recognize "florida- 

 nus " by name, since it merely illustrates the usual relative increase in size of the bill 

 and feet shown by birds of corresponding latitudes. 



Although apparently rare or quite wanting in a great part of the 

 West, in the interior, as above indicated, the Crow occurs along the 

 whole Missouri Eiver^ It is associated in most places with the Eaven, 

 but in general their numbers are reciprocal. The Raven spreads more 

 over the plains, while the Crow is more partial to the wooded river- 

 bottoms and the immediate vicinity of the water-courses. At Fort 

 Eandall, where the Eaven is comparatively rare, the Crow is common 

 and resident. I found many Crows along Mouse Eiver, in JSTorthern 

 Dakota, but no Eaveus. I never saw a single Crow in Colorado, New 

 Mexico, or Arizona, where the Eaven was my constant companion dur- 

 ing all my journeying and residence. 



The Pish Crow, which is not found in the Missouri region, has the following syno- 

 nymy : , , 



COKVUS OSSIFRAGUS, WiUon,. - 



Conus ossifragus, WiM., Am. Orn. v, 1812,, 27, pi. 37, f. 2.— Bp., Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 

 39 ; Syn. 1828, 57 ; List, 183H, 27 ; Consp. i, 1850, 385.— Wagl., Syst. Av. 1827, 

 Corvus No. 12.— NUTT., Man. i, 1832, 216.— AuD., Orn. Biog. ii, 1834, 268; v, 

 1839, 479 ; pi. 146 ; Syn. 1839, 151 ; B. Am. iv, 1843, 94, pi. 226.— Bd., B. N. A. 

 1858, 571 ; 1860, 571, pi. 67, f. 2.— CouES & Prbnt., Smiths. Rep! 1861, 414 

 (Washington, D. C, common). — Allen, Pr. Ess. Inst, iv, 1864, 85 (Southern 

 New England, occasional). — Coues, ibid, v, 1868, 286 (the same), — Lawk., Ann. 

 Lye. N. Y. viii, 1866, 289 (New York).— CouES, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii, 1868, 117 

 (South Carolina).— TUKNB., B. E. Pa. 1869, 26.— Cooes, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1871, 

 26 (North Carolina).— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 297 (Florida).— Coues, 

 Key, 1873, 162.— B. B. (fc R., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 251, pi. 37, f. 7. 



Sab. — Coast of the United States, from New England to Florida. 



PICICORVUS COLUMBIAK"US, (Wils.) Bp. 

 Clarke's Crow; American Nutcracker. 



Corvus columbianus, Wils., Am. Orn. iii, 1811, 29, pi. 20, f. 2.— Bp., Obs. Wils. 1825 No. 

 38 ; Syn. 1828, 57.— Nutt., Man. Orn. i, 1832, 218. 



Nucifraga columbiana, Add., Orn. Biog. iv, 1838, 459, pi. 362; Syn. 1839, 156 ; B. Am. iv 

 1842, 127, pi. 235.— Bp., List, 1838, 28.— Nutt., Man. i,'l840, 251. 



Nucifraga {Piclconus) columbiana, Gray, Hand-list, ii, 1870, 9, No. 6165. 



Fidcorvus columbianus, Bp., Consp. i, 1850, 384.— Newb., P. R. R. Rep. vi, 1857 pt. iv 

 83.-BD., B. N. A. 1858, 573, 925.-KENN., P. R. R. Rep. x, 1859. pt. il, 32.— 

 Coop & Suck:., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 213.— Hayd., Rep. 1883, 171 (to Fort 

 Laramie).— Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 91.— Lord, Pr. Roy. Arty. Inst, iv, 

 121 (British Columbia); Kat. in Vancouver (breeding near Fort Colville).— 

 Dall & Bann., Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 1869, 286 (Sitka).— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 

 289.— Stev., U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1870, 465.— Coues, Ibis, 1872, 52 (biography ).— 

 Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 178.— Hold.-Aiken., Pr. Bost. Soc. 1872, 203 (Wy- 

 oming).— Coues, Key, 1872, 162, fig. 104.— B. B. & E., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 255, pi. 

 38, f 4. 



"Corvus megonyx, Wagl." — (Gray.) 



jSaft.- Chiefly the coniferous belt of the West, in mountainous regions, from about 

 3.000 feet up to the highest peaks. North to Sitka {Bisclwff). Northeast to Milk Eiver, 

 Montana (200 miles east of Rocky Mountains., lat. about 49°, Sualdey). East to Fort 



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