AMERICAN RAVEN 211 



Yet it was on the last one of their visits — while we were there — that the 

 Ravens found their greatest sport. In the intervals between Raven raids, I had 

 noticed that we were in the midst of a large but (at first) widely scattered flock 

 of Leucostictes. These small birds were industriously feeding on the snow and 

 among the rocks of the peak, and they seemed not at all disturbed by our 

 presence. * ♦ * Finally, the Ravens on one of their swooping raids somehow 

 managed to frighten the Leucostictes into flight; and the entire flock of approxi- 

 mately 200 individuals took to the air almost simiiltaneously. Immediately, the 

 Ravens were at them, dashing swiftly and noisily through the thickest of the 

 compact flock, scattering it, then charging again each time that it reformed. Not 

 content with merely this disruption of the flock, the Ravens began following up 

 the separated groups of apparently panic-stricken Leucostictes, diving into them 

 viciously. We saw no actual casualties but it seems probable that some of the 

 Leucostictes, despite their expert dodging, must have been struck down during 

 the repeated dives of the larger birds. 



Mr. Skinner vi^rites to me : "Frequently I find an eagle on the ground 

 or feeding on carrion with a circle of ravens about him ; they are there, 

 I think, more for the sport of mobbing the eagle than anything else. 

 When so tormented the larger bird seeks refuge in a tree top; we often 

 flush an eagle and his attendant ravens from the thick top of a cedar. 

 But, if the ravens mob the eagles, they have their own tormentors in 

 the little Brewer's blackbirds. I have seen a big raven fly past closely 

 pursued by eight blackbirds, and he seemed unable to defend himself 

 in the air or to escape from his more agile pursuers by flight, so he 

 alighted in the top of a small pine, where by constant snapping and 

 several fierce lunges at his tormentors, he managed to keep them at a 

 distance. Soon he tried to escape by flight, but was forced back to his 

 tree again. I have often noticed that, if a raven happens to pass within 

 sight of a Brewer's blackbird nest, all the blackbirds within sight and 

 hearing take after him, and do it every time a raven passes. By late 

 August and September the blackbirds give up this sport of mobbing 

 ravens." 



On the ground the raven is sedate and dignified, walking easily with 

 a stately tread, when not hurried, or hopping less gracefully forward 

 or a little sidewise. As a rule it is a very shy and wary bird, difficult 

 to approach, but it is sagacious enough to know when and where it is 

 safe and is often quite tame under such circumstances. Mr. Skinner 

 tells me that he once rode his horse to within 15 feet of one on the 

 ground, and then it merely hopped away. About ranches and farm- 

 yards, where it knows that it will not be molested, it is often quite tame, 

 but in the wilderness it seems to know how far a gun will shoot. 



Voice. — The various notes of the western ravens do not seem to differ 

 much from those of the eastern or northern birds, which are more 

 fully treated under the northern raven. Major Bendire (1895) says: 



