238 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



ble to shoot them. They descended in pairs to the sea-shore to feed on 

 dead fish, crabs, and other animal substances thrown up by the sea. 



Mr. Eidgway informs me of the presence of this bird in the heavy forests 

 of the bottom-lands in Southern Illinois. It is there quite rare, however, 

 as he has met with but a few pairs. These were resident, and nested in the 

 tall timber of the Big Creek bottoms, in Eichland Co. 



Audubon's party found it equally impossible to obtain a specimen at Lab- 

 rador. One afternoon Mr. Audubon hid himself under a nest several hours, 

 to no purpose. The old Eavens would not show themselves while he was 

 within gunshot, though the young clamored for food. As soon as he had 

 left the spot the female alighted on the nest, fed her young, and was off 

 again before she could be approached. 



At Grand Menan, where they are not rare, and where they breed among 

 the high cliffs, I found them so wild that it was almost impossible even to 

 obtain sight of them. Passing high in the air above our heads, their loud, 

 hoarse croak attested their alarm at the sight of their enemy, man. They 

 are looked upon with aversion by the islanders, and are persecuted by them 

 without mercy. They rob the nests of the Herring Gulls, interfering with 

 the islanders in this privilege, and are, wrongfully I believe, charged with 

 destroying young lambs. 



Years afterwards, when I again encountered individuals of this species at 

 Cheyenne, on the Plains, I could not but notice the immense difference in 

 their character. There perfect confidence in man took the place of dread. 

 Unmolested by the people, who regard them as desirable scavengers, value- 

 less for food and useful in removing nuisances, they were as tame and famil- 

 iar as the European Sparrow in the parks of New York or Boston. On one 

 occasion I found one engaged in eating the remains of a dead cow just out- 

 side the city. It allowed me to approach to within five or six feet, when 

 with a very stately and dignified stride it moved out of my way, and kept 

 me at about this distance. I could not compel it to fly to any distance, 

 even when I hastened my steps. 



Ill New England these birds are very rare, and their occurrence is only 

 accidental. One has been shot on the Connecticut, and another on the Mer- 

 rimack, in Massachusetts. They are not unfrequently met with in Northern 

 New York. 



On the Pacific Coast the Eaven is common from Sitka to San Diego. 

 Throughout Washington Territory it is said to be plentiful, more scattered 

 in the summer, and in the winter congregating about settlements and the 

 sea-shore. At Vancouver, during the winter, it was observed amicably as- 

 sociating with the Crows, and on the coast with the Fish Crows, but during 

 the spring, when the latter had nests, they boldly attacked the Eavens, and 

 drove them away. 



In California and in all the adjacent regions, Dr. Cooper states, the Eaven 

 is found everywhere in pairs, more numerous than in the Atlantic States, 



