o LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY 



I. THE RAVEN. CORVUS COKAX. 



{Plate /.) 



I. inn., S. N., i., p. 155 (1766); Macg., Br. B., 

 i., p. 498; Newt. cd. Varr. Br. B., ii., p. 259; Sharpe, 

 I :. 15. Brit. Mus., iii., p. 14 ; Dresser, B. Eur., iv., ]). 

 567, pi. 265 ; Seeb., Br. B., ii., p. 532, pi. 16, figs. 1, 3 ; 

 mders, Man., p. 233; Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B., pt. 

 x. (1S89). 



Adult Male — Of large size. Plumage black, with purplish 

 gloss, ureenish on the wings and tail ; on the fore-neck some 

 long lanceolate feathers, forming throat-hackles; bill and legs 

 black; iris brown. Total length, 24 inches; bill from front, 

 315 ; wing, 17-5 ; tail, 10-5 ; tarsus, 2-85. 



Aiult Female.— Similar to the male in plumage, and not 

 inferior in size. 



Range in Great Britain. — Local, and diminishing in numbers. 

 A few pairs are still to be found in the southern counties, but 

 i* is only in the wilder parts of the north and west that the 

 Raven now occurs regularly. 



Range outside the British Islands. — Throughout the whole of 

 the northern potions of the Old and New Worlds, in America 

 from the high north to Mexico and Guatemala, and in the Old 

 World to the North Mediterranean countries. Further east 

 it reaches to the line of the Himalayas, and is found in 

 western India, and extends through Central Asia and 

 Siberia. 



Habits.— Owing to continued persecution, the Raven is 



ning rarer year by year throughout the British Islands. 



Its large size and undoubted power render it a formidable 



enemy to farmers, and although, like all members of the 



'he Raven is an omnivorous feeder, it is well 



known as a slaughterer of lambs, fawns, and poultry, whenever 



• > the chance ; but on the other hand it destroys 



of rats and other vermin, and it also clears up 



i. In other countries, where it is not so persecuted, the 



much tamer, and Mr. Howard Saunders says that in 



Majorca lie has seen a pair of Ravens following the plough 



