Genus XIII. CORVUS. CROW. 



Species I. C. CORAX. 



RAVEN. 



[Plate LXXV. Fig. 3.] 



Gmel. Syst. I., p. 364. — Ind. Orn. p. 150. — ie Corheau, Briss. 2, p. 8, et var. — 

 Buff. Ois. 3, p. 13. PI. enl. 495. — Temm. Man. d' Orn. p. 107. — Raven, Lath. 

 Gen. Syn. i., p. 367- Id. sup. p. 74.— Penn. Brit. Zool. No. 74. Arct. Zool. No. 

 134. — Shaw, Gen. Zool. 7, p. 341. — Bewick, i., p. 100. — Low, Fauna Orcadensis, 

 p. 45. 



A KNOWLEDGE of this Celebrated bird has been handed down to us 

 from the earliest ages ; and its history is almost coeval with that of man. 

 In the best and most ancient of all books, we learn, that at the end of 

 forty days, after the great flood had covered the earth, Noah, wishing 

 to ascertain whether or not the waters had abated, sent forth a Raven, 

 which did not return into the ark.* This is the first notice that is 

 taken of this species. Though the Raven was declared unclean by the 

 law of Moses, yet we are informed, that when the prophet Elijah pro- 

 voked the enmity of Ahab, by prophesying against him, and hid himself 

 by the brook Cherith, the Ravens were appointed by Heaven to bring 

 him his daily food.f The color of the Raven gave rise to a similitude 

 in one of the most beautiful of eclogues, which has been perpetuated 

 in all subsequent ages, and which is not less pleasing for being trite or 

 proverbial. The favorite of the royal lover of Jerusalem, in the en- 

 thusiasm of affection, thus describes the object of her adoration, in reply 

 to the following question : 



" What is thy beloved more than another beloved, thou fairest 

 among women ?" " My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among 

 ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, 

 and black as a Raven ?"% 



The above mentioned circumstances taken into consideration, one 

 should suppose that the lot of the subject of this chapter would have 

 been of a different complexion from what history and tradition inform 

 us is the fact. But in every country, we are told, the Raven is con- 



* Genesis, viii. 7. f 1 Kings, xvii. 5, 6. 



X Song of Solomon, v. 9, 10, 11. 



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