FAMILY XVII. STURNINÆ. STARLINGS
Bill nearly as long as the head, moderately stout, or rather slender, nearly straight, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with its outline straight, slightly convex toward the tip, the ridge somewhat flattened, the sides sloping and convex, the edges sharp and overlapping, with a very slight or obsolete notch, close to the depressed tip; lower mandible with the angle long and rather acute, the crura rather broad and flat at the base, the dorsal line straight, the edges sharp, the tip slender; gape-line ascending gently at the base, then direct. Head ovate or oblong, flattened above; neck of moderate length; body rather full. Feet moderately stout; tarsus rather short, compressed, with seven anterior scutella; toes moderate, or rather long, the first stouter, the lateral toes equal, the outer adherent at the base. Claws rather long, moderately arched, compressed, acute. Plumage rather compact. Wings of moderate length, with the first quill very small, the third and fourth longest. Tail short or of moderate length, rounded, and generally emarginate. Roof of upper mandible with a median ridge; tongue slender, thin-edged, with the tip slit and lacerated; œsophagus without dilatation; stomach roundish, its muscular coat rather thin, the epithelium dense, and longitudinally rugous; intestine of moderate length and width; cœca very small, cylindrical; cloaca ovate or oblong. Trachea simple, with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest on the ground, or in cavities; eggs about five.
GENUS I. STURNELLA, Vieill. MEADOW-STARLING
Bill rather long, almost straight, conico-subulate, depressed toward the end; upper mandible with the ridge somewhat flattened, the edges sharp and overlapping; the tip narrow, but rounded; lower mandible with the outline straight, the ridge convex, the sides ascending; the tip slightly rounded. Nostrils oval, with an arched membrane above. Head of ordinary size, depressed; neck of moderate length; body rather full. Feet of moderate length, strong; tarsus distinctly scutellate; lateral toes nearly equal, hind toe stout. Claws arched, compressed, acute, that of the hind toe large. Plumage rather compact. Upper eyelid margined with strong bristles. Wings of moderate length, broad; the second, third, and fourth quills longest; one of the inner secondaries nearly as long when the wing is closed. Tail short, much rounded, of twelve acute feathers.
223. 1. Sturnella Ludoviciana, Linn. Crescent Meadow-Starling. – Meadow Lark
Plate CXXXVI. Male and Female.
Upper parts variegated with dark brown, bay, and dull yellowish, the latter bordering the feathers; those of the hind parts of the back barred, as are the secondary quills and their coverts; primary quills dark brown, margined, the outer with whitish, the rest with pale yellowish; edge of the wing yellow; three outer tail-feathers white, with a dash of black on the outer web near the end, the next feather also more or less white, and barred on the outer web; on the upper part of the head a central and two lateral bands of brownish-yellow, the lateral hand sometimes white, anteriorly tinged with yellow; sides of the head and neck greyish-white, flanks and lower tail-coverts reddish-white, streaked with black; fore neck and breast rich yellow, the former with a large crescent of black. Female smaller, but otherwise similar.
Male
, 112/12, 161/2.
Breeds from Texas to the Columbia River, and along the Atlantic coast to Nova Scotia and the Fur Countries. Resident in the Southern and Western States. Abundant.
Meadow Lark, Alauda magna, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 20.
Sturnus ludovicianus, Bonap. Syn.
Sturnus ludovicianus, Crescent Starlet, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 282.
American Starling or Meadow Lark, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 147.
Meadow Lark or American Starling, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 216; v. v. p. 492.
FAMILY XVIII. CORVINÆ. CROWS
Bill about the length of the head, robust, nearly straight, compressed; upper mandible with the dorsal line more or less arched, its tip slightly deflected, the edges sharp, with a slight notch or sinus. Nostrils basal, roundish, concealed by reversed slender stiff feathers. Head rather large, ovate; neck of moderate length, body compact. Feet of ordinary length, rather stout; tarsus compressed, with about eight large scutella; toes four, first stronger, but about the same length as the second and fourth, which latter is adherent at the base. Claws rather large, arched, compressed, acute. Plumage various; wings long or of moderate length, much rounded, the first quill about half the length of the fourth or fifth, which are longest; tail of twelve broad feathers. Upper mandible concave, with several longitudinal ridges; tongue oblong, flat above, horny, thin edged, with the tip slit and lacerated; œsophagus of moderate width, without dilatation; proventriculus bulbiform; stomach, a gizzard of moderate power, with a rugous dense epithelium; intestine of moderate length and width; cœca small, cylindrical, adnate. Trachea with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest in high places, or in cavities, rudely constructed; eggs from four to six, ovate or oblong.
GENUS I. CORVUS, Linn. CROW
Bill rather long, stout, considerably compressed; upper mandible with the dorsal line declinate and arched, the sides somewhat convex, the edges nearly straight, and overlapping, the notches faint, the tip declinate, rather sharp; lower mandible with the angle rather long, and of moderate width, the dorsal line ascending, and slightly convex, the edges direct, the tip narrow. Nostrils basal, lateral, round, covered by narrow stiff feathers directed forwards. Head large, ovate; neck rather short; body robust. Legs of moderate length, strong; tarsus stout, compressed, with eight scutella; toes of moderate length, stout, first and second nearly equal, fourth longer, and slightly adherent at the base. Claws strong, arched, compressed, acute. Plumage compact, glossed. Wings long, with the first quill short, the fourth longest. Tail of moderate length, rounded. Roof of upper mandible concave, with five ridges; tongue emargined and papillate at the base, horny toward the end, thin-edged, with the point slit.
224. 1. Corvus Corax, Linn. Raven
Plate CI. Male.
Feathers of the fore neck lanceolate and elongated; tail much rounded; plumage deep black, glossed with blue and purplish-blue, the lower parts with green. Young with the feathers of the throat oblong, the upper parts less glossy, the lower dull greyish-black.
Male
, 26, 50.
From the Highlands of South Carolina, northward to the Polar Seas. Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, Canada. Rocky Mountains and Columbia River. Rather common in some parts.
Raven, Corvus Corax, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ix. p. 136.
Corvus Corax, Bonap. Syn. p. 56.
Corvus Corax, Raven, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 290.
Raven, Corvus Corax, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 202.
Raven, Corvus Corax, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 1; v. v. p. 476.
225. 2. Corvus Americanus, Aud. American Crow
Plate CLVI. Male.
Feathers of the head and neck oval and blended; fourth quill longest; general colour black, with purplish-blue reflections; the hind parts of the neck tinged with purplish-brown; the lower parts less glossy. Young of a rather dull brownish-black, with the blue and purple reflections much less brilliant.
Male
, 18, 38.
Generally distributed from the Gulf of Mexico to Columbia River; throughout the interior, and along the coast, northward to Lat. 55°. Congregates in immense numbers in the Southern and Western States during winter.
Crow, Corvus Corone, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 79.
Cervus Corone, Bonap. Syn. p. 56.
Cervus Corone, Crow, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 291.
Crow, Corvus Corone, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 209.
American Crow, Corvus Americanus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 317; v. v. p. 477.
226. 3. Corvus ossifragus, Wils. Fish-Crow
Plate CXLVI. Male and Female.
Feathers of the head and neck oval and blended; third quill longest; tail considerably rounded, a small space at the base of the lower mandible on each side bare; general colour black, with blue and purple reflections above, blue and greenish beneath. Young brownish-black, with the blue and purple reflections less brilliant.
Male
, 16, 33,
Female
, 15, 31.
From the mouths of the Mississippi upwards to Natchez, and along the Atlantic to New York. Common. Resident in the Southern States. Columbia River.
Fish Crow, Corvus ossifragus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. v. p. 27.
Corvus ossifragus, Bonap. Syn. p. 57.
Fish Crow, Corvus ossifragus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 216.
Fish Crow, Corvus ossifragus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 268; v. v. p. 479.
GENUS II. PICA, Briss. MAGPIE
Bill of moderate length, stout, considerably compressed; upper mandible with the dorsal line declinate and arched, the sides convex, the ridge narrow, the edges nearly straight and overlapping, the notches faint, the tip declinate, and rather sharp; lower mandible with the angle rather long and wide, the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the edges inclinate, the tip narrow. Nostrils basal, lateral, roundish, covered by narrow stiff feathers directed forwards. Head large, ovate; neck rather short; body compact. Legs of moderate length, strong; tarsus stout, compressed, with eight scutella; toes of moderate length, stout, first large, stronger; lateral nearly equal, third considerably longer. Claws strong, arched, compressed, acute. Plumage full, soft, blended. Wings of moderate length, much rounded, the first quill very short, extremely narrow and falciform, fourth and fifth longest. Tail very long, graduated. Digestive organs as in Corvus.
227. 1. Pica melanoleuca, Vieill. Common Magpie
Plate CCCLVII. Male and Female.
Bill black; head, neck, fore part of breast and back black, glossed with green and blue; middle of the back greyish-white; scapulars white; smaller wing-coverts black, secondary coverts, alula and primary coverts splendent with green and blue; primaries black, glossed with green, their inner webs white, except at the end, and for some way along their margin; secondaries bright blue, changing to green, their inner webs greenish-black; tail splendent with bright green, changing to greenish-yellow, purplish-red, bluish-purple, and dark green at the end; breast and sides pure white; legs, abdomen, lower tail-coverts, and lower wing-coverts, black.
Male
, 181/2, 221/2.
Interior of Texas, West Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Rocky Mountains, and Saskatchewan. Common. Resident.
Corvus Pica, Linn. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 157.
Magpie, Corvus Pica, Wils. Amer. Orn.
Corvus Pica, Bonap. Syn. p. 57.
Magpie, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 219.
Common Magpie, Corvus Pica, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 408.
228. 2. Pica Nuttallii, Aud. Yellow-billed Magpie
Plate CCCLXII. Fig. 1. Male.
Bill and bare space beneath the eyes yellow; in form, proportion, and size, similar to the last; the feathers of the tail narrower; the colours similar, but the top of the head glossed with green, and the black of the back and fore neck tinged with brown.
Male
, 18; wing, 73/4.
Upper California. Common. Resident.
Corvus Nuttali, Yellow-billed Magpie, Aud. Orn. Biog, v. iv. p. 450.
229. 3. Pica Bullockii, Wagler. Columbia Magpie. – Columbia Jay
Plate XCVI. Adult.
Feathers of the head long and recurvate; tail extremely elongated; general colour blue; cheeks, fore neck, and anterior part of the breast black, the rest of the lower parts, with the tips of the outer four tail-feathers on each side, white.
Male
, 31, 26.
Woody portions of North California.
Columbia Jay, Garrulus Bullockii, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 220.
Columbia Jay, Corvus Bullockii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 483.
GENUS III. GARRULUS, Briss. JAY
Bill of moderate length, strong, straight, compressed, rather pointed; upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly arched, the ridge scarcely distinct, the sides sloping, the edges nearly straight, sharp, and overlapping, the notches slight, the tip slightly depressed; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length, rather wide, the dorsal line ascending, slightly convex, the sides sloping outwards, the edges direct, the tip acute. Nostrils basal, elliptical, covered by reversed stiffish feathers. Head rather large; neck short; body stout. Feet of moderate length, rather stout; tarsus of ordinary length, compressed, with eight scutella; toes moderate, the first large, the outer considerably longer than the inner; claws well-arched, rather long, compressed, acute. Plumage blended; small bristles at the base of the upper mandible; feathers of the head generally elongated; wings rather short, first quill very short, fourth and fifth longest; tail rather long, much rounded. Roof of upper mandible concave, with three ridges; digestive organs as in Corvus.
230. 1. Garrulus Stelleri, Gmel. Steller's Jay
Plate CCCLXII. Fig. 2. Male.
Occipital crest of linear-oblong, slightly recurved feathers; tail long, moderately rounded; head, neck, and fore part of back brownish-black, feathers of the forehead tipped with light blue; hind part of back, rump, upper tail-coverts and lower parts light blue; wings blue, secondary quills and their coverts rich ultramarine, narrowly barred with black, outer webs of primaries paler, their inner webs dusky; tail blue, with numerous narrow inconspicuous dusky bars.
Male
, 13, wing 511/12.
Rocky Mountains, Columbia River, and north-west coast. Common. Migratory.
Corvus Stelleri, Gmel. Linn. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 370.
Corvus Stelleri, Bonap. Syn. p. 433.
Steller's Jay, Corvus Stelleri, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 44.
Garrulus Stelleri, Steller's Jay, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 294.
Steller's Jay, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 229.
Steller's Jay, Corvus Stelleri, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 453.
231. 2. Garrulus cristatus, Linn. Blue Jay
Plate CII. Male and Female.
Feathers of the head elongated, oblong; tail much rounded. Upper parts light purplish-blue; wings and tail ultramarine, secondaries, their coverts, and tail-feathers barred with black, and tipped with white; a narrow band margining the forehead, loral space, and a band round the neck, black; throat and cheeks bluish-white; lower parts greyish-white tinged with brown.
Male
, 12, 14.
Breeds from Texas eastward and northward to the Fur Countries, and as far as the bases of the Rocky Mountains. Abundant. Resident in the Middle, Interior, and Southern States.
Blue Jay, Corvus cristatus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 2.
Corvus cristatus, Bonap. Syn. p. 58.
Garrulus cristatus, Blue Jay, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 293.
Blue Jay, Corvus cristatus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 11; v. v. p. 475.
232. 3. Garrulus ultramarinus, Bonap. Ultramarine Jay
Plate CCCLXII. Fig. 3. Male.
Feathers of the head short; tail much rounded; upper part of head, sides, and hind part of neck, wings and tail, with its coverts, light blue; back light greyish-brown; a faint band over the eye, formed by the tips of the feathers; cheeks dusky; fore neck greyish-white, faintly streaked with dusky, and banded below by a narrow semilunar band of light blue, continuous with that of the neck; lower parts pale grey passing into white.
Male
, 12, wing 58/12.
Columbia River, and Upper California. Common. Migratory.
Ultramarine Jay, Corvus ultramarinus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 456.
233. 4. Garrulus Floridanus, Bartram. Florida Jay
Feathers of the head short; tail much rounded; upper part of head, sides, and hind part of neck, wings and tail, with its coverts, light blue; back very light greyish-brown; a bluish-white band over the forehead and eyes; cheeks dusky; fore neck greyish-white, with the shafts of the feathers dusky, and bordered below by a rather broad band of light blue, continuous with that of the neck; lower parts pale purplish-grey.
Intimately allied in colour to the Ultramarine Jay, but distinguishable by its smaller size, and more rounded tail, and by its having a band of whitish across the forehead, and extended over the eye, where it is not in dots as in that species.
Male
, 111/4, 14.
Confined to the Floridas. Not very common. Resident.
Corvus floridanus, Bonap. Syn. p. 58.
Florida Jay, Garrulus floridanus, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p.
Florida Jay, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 230.
Florida Jay, Corvus floridanus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 444.
234. 5. Garrulus Canadensis, Linn. Canada Jay
Plate CVII. Male and Female. Plate CCCCXXX. Fig. 3. Young.
Upper parts dull leaden-grey; lower dull yellowish-white; forehead yellowish-white; hind part of the head and neck greyish-black; throat and band passing round the neck, greyish-white; secondary quills and tail-feathers narrowly tipped with white. Young very dull slate-colour, paler on the abdomen, on the head blackish, wings and tail as in the adult, their tips of a duller white.
Male
, 11, 15.
Rare, and only in winter, from Pennsylvania to New York. More abundant in Massachusetts. Common from Maine northward to the Fur Countries. Columbia River.
Canada Jay, Corvus canadensis, Wils. Amer. Ornith. v. iii. p. 33.
Corvus canadensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 58.
Garrulus canadensis, Whisky Jack, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 295.
Garrulus brachyurus, Short-billed Jay, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 296. Young.
Garrulus canadensis, Canada Jay, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 232.
Short-billed Jay. Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 599.
Canada Jay, Corvus canadensis. Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 58; v. v. p. 208.
GENUS IV. NUCIFRAGA, Briss. NUTCRACKER
Bill as long as the head, moderately stout, conical, compressed, at the tip rather depressed; upper mandible with its dorsal line slightly arcuato-declinate, the ridge convex, the sides rounded, the edges sharp and overlapping, without notch, the tip flattened and obtuse; lower mandible with the angle s