BRITAIN'S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 231 



The nesting habits do not differ widely from the Sky- 

 lark''s. The eggs are pale greenish white, with specks or 

 zones of a brown or purple colour. The name of the 

 species is often misapplied to the Tree-Pipit. 



Family, CORVIDtE (Crows). 



THE RAVEN 



(Corvus corax). 

 Plate 71. 



From the earliest times the Raven and its kin have 

 been regarded as birds of evil omen, and have figured 

 as such in popular verse and story. Even yet, among 

 the rural populations of many lands, the superstition 

 dies hard. The reason for it is not far to seek. In 

 the minds of northern peoples especially, night, darkness, 

 blackness have always been symbolic of the adverse 

 powers of nature ; and long tradition, surviving in present- 

 day language and convention, has associated the colour 

 with plague and pestilence, death and sorrow. No 

 wonder, then, that the Raven has an evil name, for 

 he is blackness personified ! Every feather has the sooty 

 hue, bill and feet alike are black, and no lighter shade 

 is present to relieve the sombre whole. 



Add to deep-black plumage a voice of incredible 

 harshness and habits which in olden times gave their 

 owner a gruesome association with the slain of the 

 battlefields ! The tale is surely complete ; what outward 

 sign of iniquity could be added ? 



Time was when the Raven flourished exceedingly and 

 was a common bird in England. Nowadays it has 

 vanished from the east and midlands, and has become 



