COKVID.E — THE CROWS. 237 



It was never known to attempt to injure evtui tlie smallest of the youn" 

 dogs, nor did any ot the ilogs ever offer to annoy it. It at length came to 

 be considered by all as an inmate of the establishment. While it seemed to 

 have full confidence in the peoj^le of the fort, it kept at a careful distance 

 from all Indian or Esquimaux visitors. 



Mr. B. 11. Iioss speaks of Ravens as common as far north as the Arctic 

 Ocean. Tiiey feed on carrion, and act as scavengers to the establishments. 

 Their sight is remarkably keen, and the sagacity with which they follow the 

 trapper is wonderful. Early as the hunter may start, these harpies M-ill have 

 been before him, and torn out the eyes and entrails of each hare. They will 

 break into marten-traps for the sake of the bait or the captured animal, 

 thrusting aside or pulling out with their beaks the sticks that compose the 

 enclosure. Sometimes they are caught in steel traps that are set for foxes, 

 or eat the strychnine baits laid for the same animals, and slowly succumb to 

 tills powerful poison. Their flesh is so rank that even a fox, unless sorely 

 pressed by hunger, \\'ill not eat it. They pair in April, and usually con- 

 struct their nests in the loftiest trees. They have various call-notes, one of 

 which is like that of the Canada Goose, and another is said Ijy ilr. Eoss to 

 be very liquid and musical. 



Mr. Dall states that these birds were aliundant all the year at Nulato, and 

 indeed everywhere throughout Alaska, but much more common near the 

 Indian villages and trading-posts than elsewhere. They build on the sand- 

 stone cliffs at Nulato, in cavities that have been occupied for years. They 

 lay about tlie 2()th of April, and the young are hatched before open water. 

 He also sjieaks of them as very intelligent, and states that on several ex- 

 peditions made to oljtain their eggs, the instant he stopped at the foot of 

 the bluff the whole colony would arrange themselves on the edge of the 

 rock in anxious consultation, uttering repeated cries of warning. On one 

 occasion, where the nest was inaccessible and the party went back unsuc- 

 cessful, their departure was announced by significant and joyous croaks 

 and derisive screeches. Eavens were also found by Mr. Bannister com- 

 mon all the year on the small islands lying off the northeast point of St. 

 ^lii'haels. 



In tlie Eastern States the Eaven is a comparatively rare bird, except in a 

 few special localities. These are usually mountain-ranges, high precipitous 

 banks of rivers and lakes and of the ocean, and among wild and lonely 

 islands. It occurs on the Labrador coast, at Grand Meuan in the Bay of 

 Fundy, the Adirondacks, Lake George, the Hudson Eiver, etc. Mr. Law- 

 rence sjjeaks of it as quite common on the coast of New Jersey. It is 

 found among the mountains of Buncombe and other counties in North 

 Carolina, and Mr. Audubon mentions its occurrence at Table Mountain, in 

 the district of Pendleton, South Carolina. Dr. Cones found Eavens not rare 

 at Labrador, where the almost inaccessilile cliffs afl'ord them safe and con- 

 venient retreats. They \\ere so excessively wary that it \\as found impossi- 



