THE RAVEN. 243 



because they serve as a repellant to Eagles ; while in 

 others, where Eagles are of unusual occurrence, they allow 

 them to build their nests undisturbed, but when the young 

 are almost fledged, destroy them by throwing stones at 

 them from above. Nevertheless the original pair continues 

 to haunt the same locality for an indefinite term of years, 

 and it is not a little singular that if one of them be killed, 

 the survivor will find a mate in an incredibly short space of 

 time. 



The geographical range of the Eaven is very exten- 

 sive. Throughout all the zones of the Northern Hemi- 

 sphere it is to be found ; and having this wide range, its 

 physical constitution is strong, and it lives to a great age, 

 amounting, as the ancients tell us, to twenty-seven times 

 the period of a man's life. The note of the Eaven is well 

 described by the word " croak" but it is said by those who 

 have had the opportunity of observing it under various 

 circumstances, to utter another sound, resembling the word 

 " ivhii-ur" With this cry it very commonly intermixes 

 another, sounding like " dung" uttered very much as by 

 a human voice, only a little wilder in the sound. From 

 the cry " croak " the Eaven no doubt derives its Latin 

 name " Corvus," the French " Corbeau," and its common 

 Scotch appellation " Corbie." 



THE CAEEION CEOW. 



CORVUS CORONA. 



Black, with green and violet reflections ; tail slightly rounded, extending an 

 inch and a quarter beyond the closed wings ; iris dark hazel ; lower part of 

 the beak covered with bristly feathers ; beak and feet black. Length nineteen 

 inches ; breadth three feet. Eggs bluish green, spotted and speckled with 

 ash-grey and olive. 



BREEDING early in the year, like the Eaven, the Carrion 

 Crow builds its nest in some tree which, from its lofti- 

 ness or other reason, is difficult of ascent, where its 

 young ones are hatched about the time that most other 

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