192 Bird- Lore 



happiness in each other's society. In this manner they may recall the pleasing 

 remcmljrance of their youthful days, recount the events of their life, and 

 express the pleasure they enjoy. 



"Now, their matins are over; the happy pair are seen to glide towards the 

 earth in spiral lines; they alight on the boldest summit of a rock, so high that 

 you can scarcely judge their actual size; they approach each other, their bills 

 meet, and carresses are exchanged as tender as those of the gentle Turtle Dove. 

 Far beneath, wave after wave dashes in foam against the impregnable sides of 

 the rocky tower, the very aspect of which would be terrific to almost any other 

 creatures than the sable pair, which for years have resorted to it, to rear the 

 dearly-cherished fruits of their connubial love. Midway between them and 

 the boiling waters, some shelving ledge conceals their eyrie. 



"To it they now betake themselves, to see what damage it has sustained 

 from the peltings of the winter tempests. Off they fly to the distant woods for 

 fresh materials with which to repair the breach; or on the plain they collect 

 the hair and fur of quadrupeds; or from the sandy beach pick up the weeds 

 that have been washed there. By degrees, the nest is enlarged and trimmed, 

 and when everything has been rendered clean and comfortable, the female 

 deposits her eggs, and begins to sit upon them, while her brave and affection- 

 ate mate protects and feeds her, and at intervals takes her place. All around 

 is now silent save the hoarse murmur of the waves, or the whistling sounds 

 produced by the flight of the waterfowl traveling towards the northern regions." 



In general appearance the Raven closely resembles a Crow, but it is larger. 

 A Crow rarely is more than 1 8 or 20 inches in length and has an expanse of 

 wings of less than 3 feet. A Raven is 2 feet long from bill- tip to tail- tip and 

 measures 4 feet or more across when its wings are spread to their lull capacity. 

 A close inspection of the two birds reveals a certain marked difference in the 

 shape of the feathers of the neck, those of the Crow being rounded at the ends, 

 while those of the Raven are sharply pointed. In flight the two birds may 

 usually be distinguished, as the Raven has a way of sailing at times to an 

 extent rarely, if ever, equaled by a Crow. The well-known caw of the Crow is 

 replaced in the case of the Raven by a croak so deep, so unlike any other sound 

 in nature, that once heard it is not easily forgotten. 



As indicated above, Ravens build their nests on the ledges of cliffs or in 

 trees. These usually are bulky, and as additional materials are brought year 

 after year, they grow in some instances to be very large affairs. The eggs 

 range in number from two to seven. In color they are olive or greenish, thickly 

 spotted and blotched with olive-brown. Twenty days of brooding are required 

 to hatch them. 



The Raven's food consists of a wide variety of objects, but evidently 

 animal matter predominates. They eat grasshoppers, beetles, lizards, mice, 

 and young birds. They are scavengers and feast upon dead animals, both 

 large and small. 



