CORVIDZ. 223 
farmed and preserved counties it should be rapidly 
becoming extinct. 
The nest of the Raven is usually placed in some 
inaccessible cliff, and, if possible, a place is picked 
out which has an overhanging rock above, so that 
the eggs or young may not be destroyed by stones or 
other things thrown down upon them. Where cliffs 
and high rocks are not to be found the Raven builds 
its nest in high trees. The nest is made of sticks, 
with a lining of wool and hair. * 
The Raven is easily kept in confinement, and be- 
comes very tame and amusing: it may also be 
taught to imitate the human voice, and this it does 
with considerable success, in some cases nearly 
equalling the Parrot. Amongst the British birds 
this power of imitating the human voice seems to be 
confined to the Starling and the present family of 
Corvide, many of which have this power as well as 
the Raven. 
The Raven is a grand, powerful bird: the beak is 
black; irides brown and grey; the whole plumage 
is black, glossed with blue; the feathers on the neck 
and throat are long and pointed and more glossy than 
any of the rest of the feathers; legs, toes and claws 
shining black. 
The egg of the Raven is much like that of the 
Crow or the Rook, but larger of course; Yarrell 
* Yarrell, vol. i1., p. 67. 
