FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * MCEWAN ALASTAIR STUART   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES INTERNATIONAL INC [CRL] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Corporate Vice President (Last) (First) (Middle) 251 BALLARDVALE STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 10/20/2004 (Street) WILMINGTON, MA 01887 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 10/20/2004   A   79,518 A $ 0 (1) 79,518 D

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 0.03

10/20/2004

A

209

(2)

08/31/2011

Common Stock

209

$ 0 (1)

209

D

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 0.06

10/20/2004

A

9,390

(2)

03/25/2012

Common Stock

9,390

$ 0 (1)

9,390

D

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 18.35

10/20/2004

A

16,000

(3)

04/29/2013

Common Stock

16,000

$ 0 (1)

16,000

D

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 22.19

10/20/2004

A

12,000

(4)

06/28/2013

Common Stock

12,000

$ 0 (1)

12,000

D

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 29.55

10/20/2004

A

28,000

(5)

01/30/2014

Common Stock

28,000

$ 0 (1)

28,000

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
MCEWAN ALASTAIR STUART 251 BALLARDVALE STREET WILMINGTON, MA 01887			Corporate Vice President

Signatures

/s/ Rushna Heneghan as attorney-in-fact for Alastair Stuart McEwan		10/22/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Shares and options to purchase shares of Issuer common stock were acquired pursuant to the transactions contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of June 30, 2004, by and among the Issuer, Inveresk Research Group, Inc. Indigo Merger I Corp. and Indigo Merger II LLC (successor to Indigo Merger II Corp.).
(2)	Immediately.
(3)	5,333 options are immediately exercisable; 5,333 options are exercisable on 4/29/05 and 5,334 options are exercisable on 4/29/06.
(4)	4,000 options are immediately exercisable; 4,000 options are exercisable on each of 6/28/05 and 6/28/06.
(5)	9,333 options are exercisable on 1/30/05 and 1/30/04; 9,334 options are exercisable on 1/30/07.

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