THE AMERICAN EAVEN. 397 



The Americau Raven is usually a resident wherever found, l)ut is likely 

 to wander considerable distances in winter, cong-regatiny in localities where 

 food is most easily obtained. While as a rule, it is nowhere abundant, it is 

 generally distributed over a large area, and in certain localities it may be 

 called fairly conunon. I have met with them at every Post at which I have 

 been stationed in the West, but nowhere so abundantly as at Camp llaniey, 

 Oregon, where I had excellent oj)portunities to observe them. 



They are stately and rather sedate-looking birds, remain mated through 

 life, and are seemingly very much attached to each other, but aiijnirentl}' more 

 unsocial to others of their kind. On the ground their movements are deliberate 

 and dignified; their walk is graceful and seldom varied with hurried liojts or 

 jumps. They appear to still better advantage on the wing, especially in winter 

 and earlv spring, wlien pairs may be fre([uently seen playing with each other, 

 pertbrming extraordinary feats in the air, such as somersaults, trying to fly on 

 theii- backs, etc. At this season they seem to enjoy life most and give vent 

 to their usually not very exuberant spirits by a series of low chuckling antl 

 o-uruling- notes, evidentlv indiiferent eff"orts at singing. 



Their ordinary call note is a loud "craack-craak," varied sometimes by a 

 deep, grunting "koerr-koerr," and again by a clucking, a sort of self-satisfled 

 sound, difficult to reproduce on paper; in fact, they utter a variety of notes 

 when at ease and undisturbed, among others a metallic-sounding "klunk," 

 which seems to cost them considerable eft'ort. In })laces where they are not 

 molested they become reasonably tame, and I have seen Kavens occasional!}- 

 alight in my yard and feed among the chickens, a thing I have never seen 

 Crows do. Their larger size when compared with the latter bird is not so notice- 

 able while on the wing, but on the ground, when feeding among its smaller 

 relatives, it is very perceptible. 



Although a good deal has been written reflecting on the IJaven, ni}- ])er- 

 sonal observations compel me to consider it as a rather orderly member of a 

 somewhat disreputable family group. Among various misdeeds it is charged 

 with killing young lambs, chickens, and turkeys, as well as with destro3-lng the 

 eo-gs and young of different species of wild fowl; and while this is true to some 

 extent, yet where these birds can get a reasonable amount of food from other 

 sources they rarely disturb domestic animals of any sort. I have more than once 

 seen a Raven feetling among my poultry, apparentl)' on friendly terms with l)oth 

 voung and old; they never molested any to my knowledge; nor have I ever 

 heard complaints of shepherds that their landjs were troubled, much less killed, 

 by them. Their food consists in-incipally of can-ion, dead fish, and frogs, varied 

 with insects of different kinds, including grasshoppers and the large black crickets 

 so abundant at some seasons in the West; they also eat wonns, mussels, snails, 

 small rodents, including young ralibits, as well as refuse from the kitchen and 

 slaughterhouse. While the Americau Raven appears to be a well-behaved bird 

 in some localities, this is by no means the case everywhere. Mr. Charles A. 

 Allen, writing me on this subject from Nicasio, California, says: "In the 



