406 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[.N'o. 27. 



Corvus brachyrhynchos C. L. Brehm. Crow. 



This bird, called ' barking crow ' in the north, occurs rather com- 

 monly throughout the region north to Great Slave Lake. It is very 

 common in the vicinity of Fort Providence, which is near its northern 

 limit, but seldom reaches Fort Simpson." 



In the spring of 1901, the crow was noted almost daily between 

 Edmonton and Athabaska Landing, April 29 to May 5, and was seen 

 on the Athabaska near Fort McMurray, May 15, and at its mouth, 

 May IT. It was noted almost daily near Fort Chipewyan, May 18 

 to June 5 ; and was seen on Rocher River, June 5 ; at the mouth of 

 Peace River, June 6 ; and 25 miles below the Peace, June 12 and 13. 

 At Fort Resolution my brother noted it almost daily, July 5 to 22; 

 and I saw^ a number among the islands of the Northern Arm of Great 

 Slave Lake, July 15 to 18. 



In 1903 we first saw^ the bird at Edmonton, May 10, and we found 

 it common on the way to Athabaska Landing, May 11 to 15. We next 

 observed it on the lower Athabaska, May 31, and we saw a few at 

 Fort Chipewyan, June 3 and 4. The species was common on Rocher 

 River, June 6 to 8. A noisy flock of about fifty, probably merely a 

 temporary gathering for some social or predatory purpose, was seen 

 June 6, and several nests apparently just finished were found in high 

 willow bushes, June 8. The bird was noted near the mouth of the 

 Peace, June 9, and on lower Slave River, June 19, and was occa- 

 sionally noted at Fort Resolution during the latter part of June. My 

 brother and Cary found it common at Hay River, June 30 and July 

 1, and saw a few daily at Fort Providence, July 4 to 8. While tra- 

 versing the Northern Arm between Gros Cape and Fort Rae, July 23 

 to 26, I saw a few daily. On my trip northward I last noted it on 

 Grandin River, August 1 and 5. 



In 1904 I did not see the crow at Fort Simpson, though it is said 

 to reach that point occasionally. J. W. Mills reported it common at 

 Willow River, near Fort Providence, April 25, and on May 12 found 

 a nest containing two eggs, which he afterwards collected. On my 

 return trip I found the bird common about Fort Providence and the 

 Desmarais Islands, July 29, and saw several at Fort Chipewyan 

 August 7. 



Specimens were received by the Smithsonian Institution from Fort 

 Rae and Big Island. McConnell states that the species arrived at Fort 

 Providence April 20, 1888.^ Macoun states that J. M. Macoun [in 



« MacFarlane's record of the nesting of this species in the Anderson River 

 region (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns., XIV, p. 439, 1891), is doubtless a case of niis- 

 identiflcation. Eggs talten near Fort Anderson, May 5, 1866, referred by him 

 to C. americanus and now in the U. S. National Museum, have been examined 

 recently and prove to be those of the raven. 



^Ann. Kept. Can. Oeol. Surv., IX (new ser.), p. 160D, 1891. 



