158 



484. Perisoreus canadensis (Lirm.). [297.] Canada Jay. 



This is a northern bird, coming down in winter from the pine forests 

 of Manitoba, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, where it is abundant. It has 

 not been known to breed in Wisconsin, but breeds in northern Minne- 

 sota, where I found it in summer in the tamarack swamps. 



486. Corvus corax sinuatus (Wagl.). [280.] American Raven. 



A hundred years ago the Eaven was found probably all over the 

 Mississippi Yalley, excepting perhaps in the Gulf States. Now civiliza- 

 tion has driven it from most of the district, but it is still found locally 

 in almost every State except Mississippi and Louisiana. In western 

 Kansas it is resident and not uncommon (Goss). The migratory move- 

 ment is too slight to be studied, and is dependent upon the food rather 

 than the weather. At the mouth of Devil's Eiver and the bend of the 

 Rio Grande, in Texas, immense numbers pass the winter and disperse 

 again in the spring. In western Texas its nest has been taken by Mr. 

 Lloyd. In Manitoba it is a resident at some places and a winter visi- 

 tant at others. 



487. Corvus cryptoleucus Couch. [281.] White-necked Eaven. 



A southwestern species; common in western Texas. Resident in 

 western Kansas, where it is rare in summer but common in fall and 

 winter (Goss). Rare in Nebraska, Mr. Lloyd states that it is resident 

 as far east as Tom Green and Concho Counties, Tex., where it is 

 abundant at times. He says: "The bulk retire in fall in large flocks 

 down the Pecos and Devil's Rivers, where they winter by thousands. 

 A nest with six eggs was found May 19, 1882, in a low hackberry; 

 another nest, partly finished, was found May 13, 1883 ; and a third, 

 with three eggs, May 5, 1885, in low mesquites." 



488. Corvus americanus Aud. [282.] Common Crow. 



Common in name and common by nature, the Crow is a common sum- 

 mer bird over all of Manitoba and the Mississippi Valley, and common 

 in winter from northern Iowa southward. In winter it is especially 

 numerous at Pierce City, Mo., where Mr. Nehrling says that thou- 

 sands spent the night near his house, and is still more abundant at 

 Saint Louis, where its numbers, after the increase of the first half of 

 January, reached near fifty thousand. The most northern record in the 

 winter of 18S3-'84 was at Lanesboro. Minn. In the spring of 1884 

 migration began about the same time as the real migration of the Pur- 

 ple Grackle, that is, in the second week in March. Passing irregularly 

 north, crows reached the stations around latitude 45° in Miunesota 

 March 13 and 14; Frazee City, Minn, (latitude 46° 33'), March 17, 

 and finally arrived at Oak Point, Manitoba, on the last of the month. 

 They were marked as coming to Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, April 4, 

 which date is said to be later than usual. 



During the winter of 1884-85 (on New Yeai's day) crows were again 



