92 FIELD-STUDIES OF RARER BIRDS 



world. Sometimes, however, for all its magnifi- 

 cence, the Raven exhibits distinct clumsiness, 

 especially for ahout fifty yards before alighting 

 on the rocks : for then it may drop its legs limply 

 and raise its wings above its back so obliquely 

 that they almost touch ; or else, elevating its tail 

 and lower-quarters generally, it decurves its head 

 and neck, when it altogether resembles a large and 

 curiously-contorted S turned over like this 02 . 

 It then looks ungainly to a degree. 



The Raven is usually a very high flier (you 

 often hear its bass croak before you see it), especially 

 when crossing a valley or enclosed lands. It 

 doubtless fears some fancied ambush : for which 

 reason, except at the nest or in a mist, it is seldom 

 shot. It is poison that has thinned the Raven's 

 ranks. This high-flying propensity, combined 

 with the creature's rather curved, quite sharply- 

 pointed and comparatively narrow wings, and 

 decidedly wedge-shaped tail, not to mention its 

 habit of soaring like the big hawks, all help to 

 identify the bird at a range when it looks no larger 

 than a Jackdaw. The species easiest to confuse 

 it with but then only at a moderately long dis- 

 tance or in a mist is the Carrion-Crow. The 

 latter 's flight, however, is quicker, its wings more 

 rounded . . . The Raven's flight, while being 

 measured, purposeful, and vigorous, seems to me 

 to be out of the straight ; in other words, the 

 Raven ever appears to hold a slightly diagonal 



