36 
GREAT CROW-BLACKBIRD. 
rather than diminished this complication of error. It is therefore 
solely by a studious attention to nature, that we can extricate these 
species from the uncertainty involving them, and place them in a 
distinct and cognisable situation. With these views we now give 
a faithful representation of both sexes of the Great Crow-Black¬ 
bird, drawn by that zealous observer of nature and skilful artist 
Mr. John J. Audubon, and hope thereby to remove all doubt rela¬ 
tive to this interesting species. 
For the same purpose we give in the following plate a figure of 
the female Common Crow-Blackbird, which differs so little from 
its mate, (admirably represented in the third volume of Wilson's 
Ornithology,) that it would be otherwise unnecessary. This mea¬ 
sure we believe will be acceptable to ornithologists, as it furnishes 
them with means of comparing the females of both the species in 
question, whence the most striking distinctive characters are ob¬ 
tained; that of one species differing considerably in size and colour 
from the male, while the sexes of the other are very similar in 
appearance. 
Wilson having mentioned this species in his catalogue of land 
birds, evidently intended to describe and figure it; but this he 
deferred, probably, in expectation of obtaining better opportunities 
of examination, which are not so readily presented, as the bird 
does not inhabit this section of the United States. 
It would be difficult to ascertain whether or not Linne and 
Latham have mentioned this bird in any part of their works, but 
the reader may perceive our opinion on this point by referring to 
our synonymes, which, however, are given with much doubt, since 
we do not hesitate to say, that those authors have not published 
any satisfactory description of this species. 
We shall not endeavour to settle the question relative to the 
species inhabiting South America, or even Mexico and the West 
Indies; but we may assert, that this is the only Blackbird found 
in the United States, besides those of Wilson, which, as is the case 
