1875.] 159 |Bendire. 



34. Scolecophagus cyanocephalus Sw. "May 19th. This 

 species is now breeding. I have recently taken several nests." 



35. Corvus carnivorus Bartram. The presence of the ra- 

 ven, in the vicinity of Camp Harney, throughout the winter, is occa- 

 sionally referred to. Apr. 3d, Capt. Bendire writes: "I do not think 

 that any of the ravens have commenced breeding yet, as Instill see 

 them in pairs about the garrison." In a letter dated April 18th, he 

 writes that at Lake Ma heur he " succeeded in obtaining two ravens' 

 nests on the 16th, both with five eggs; one set quite fresh, the other 

 probably not over four days sat on. They were hard to get at in each 

 case, and I only succeeded, after several trials, in reaching them. 

 One nest was built on a side of a cliff', about twenty feet from the 

 ground, and thirty from the top. The other, in a large dead willow 

 tree." 



36. Corvus caurinus Baird. "March 9th. I saw three of 

 this species feeding among the ravens. It was afterwards found 

 breeding." 



37. Picicorvus columbianus Bonap. " December 5th. My 

 supposed whitish woodpecker, of which I wrote you in my last, turns 

 out to be Clarke's crow. It is a consolation to me, however, to know 

 that I am not the first one who has made this mistake. It is not to 

 be wondered at that any one who has not seen them before, seeing 

 them for the first time on the wing, should take them for wood- 

 peckers. I am inclined to believe that this bird breeds here in hol- 

 low trees, and very early in the season. In an adult female that I 

 shot the other day, some of the eggs in the ovaries were already 

 considerably enlarged. 



"December 14th. In the mountains I have found an old nest in 

 the hollow of a pine stump, constructed of sticks and mud, which is a 

 new structure to me, and I have but little doubt but that it is the 

 nest of this species. It corresponds in size to what it should be. 



" May 9th. I have at last found a nest, occupied this year, of 

 Clarke's crows, and now know that in some instances they breed in 

 hollow trees, and nest exceedingly early. I found a brood of six 

 young ones well able to fly, on the 5th of this month. They must 

 have left the nest about the 1st of May. The old ones almost flew in 

 my face to attract my attention from the young, and kept up a terri- 

 ble screeching. They must have commenced laying between the 

 15th and 25th of March, at least when the snow was over two feet 

 deep in that locality. 



