292 Birds of Colorado 



principalis) of the northern and eastern portions of the Continent, 

 from which it appears to be but doubtfully separable, and the ranges 

 of the two forms are hardly accurately discriminated. 



In Colorado the Raven is a resident but a somewhat irregular 

 wanderer ; it is most common on the western slope of the range, and is 

 found at 10,000 to 12,000 feet in summer. It descends slightly lower 

 in winter, and is occasionally met with on the plains. 



It has been noticed at Estes Park (KeUogg) ; Breckenridge, breeding 

 (Carter) ; Twin Lakes, not common (Scott) ; Pikes Peak, at timber 

 line (Aiken) ; near Salida, January (Warren) ; Wet Mountains (Lowe) ; 

 Mesa CO., breeding 5,000 to 7,000 feet (Rockwell) ; Gunnison co. and 

 Coventry (Warren) ; San Juan co., common in fall (Drew) ; La Plata 

 CO., common (Morrison). 



Habits. — The Raven is a stately and sedate bird ; it 

 is usually shy and suspicious of man, but where not 

 molested will mingle with the fowls and pick up scraps 

 about ranches and isolated cabins ; it is not particular 

 in its diet, feeding on carrion, dead fish, insects, worms 

 and slugs, while it is said to prey on young rabbits and 

 even lambs ; but definite evidence for the latter pro- 

 pensity does not seem to be forthcoming. It is often seen 

 consorting with the Turkey- Vulture round carcasses, 

 and the two are evidently on the best of terms. Its 

 voice is a loud, harsh " Craack, craack." 



It breeds in Mesa co., according to Rockwell, during 

 April, from 5000 to 7000 feet, frequenting rocky, unsettled 

 localities and nesting in high sandstone cliffs. It is 

 particularly numerous in the box canons emptying into 

 the canon of the Grand River. Warren (09) reports that 

 Smith has taken several nests near Coventry, where 

 it breeds in the sandstone ledges of the Naturita Canon. 

 The nest, as stated by Bendire, is nearly always placed 

 on a ledge in a cliff with a south aspect, much more 

 rarely in a tree ; it is built up of sticks and lined with 

 wool or hair ; the eggs, five or six in number, are 

 greenish, spotted and blotched with drab and bro\vn, 

 and measure 1'95 x 1"29. 



