235 



RAVEN. 

 Corvus corax (L.). 



Resident, but restricted now to one or two pairs in the north- 

 western fells. 



The earliest recorded mention of this bird in connection 

 with Yorkshire was made by Marmaduke Tunstall, of Wycliffe- 

 on-Tees, who remarked : " It is very rarely seen in these parts, 

 yet one made its nest near my house some years ago." (Tunst. 

 MS. 1783, p. 56.) 



Thomas Allis, in 1844, wrote : 



Corvus corax. Raven F. O. Morris observes that twenty-five 

 years ago this bird was common in most parts, but has since been 

 gradually getting scarce ; R. Leyland says it is occasionally seen 

 on the moors near Halifax, but does not breed there ; H. Denny reports 

 it as rare, though occasionally met with, at Walton Park ; rare at 

 Hebden Bridge ; a pair breeds annually on a ledge of the building at 

 the Mausoleum, Castle Howard ; it occurs at Hambleton, and is 

 met with rarely at Wharncliffe ; it breeds annually on the rocks 

 at Flamborough and some other places in the neighbourhood. 



Rightly designated a citizen of the world, the Raven is 

 resident in Yorkshire, though now reduced to small numbers 

 and limited to very few localities in sparsely populated districts. 

 Its occupation of the county in former times is proved by the 

 discovery of remains in Kirkdale Cave, and the old records 

 show that it not uncommonly built in trees and woods of the 

 West Riding, though its history has become a tradition. 

 The Rev. J. A. Haydyn of Dent Vicarage has obligingly 

 supplied me with some important and interesting evidence, 

 taken from the churchwardens' account-books, relating to 

 the Raven in the early part of the eighteenth century, shewing 

 that payments were made for the heads of these birds ; thus 

 in 1713 for eight Ravens' heads the sum of is. 4d. was paid, 

 and for five Ravens' heads lod. was disbursed. Between 

 1713 and 1750 there appears something of the kind every year, 

 the normal price being 2d. per head, though in 1726 there 

 is an entry thus: For 8 Ravens' heads.. 35. od. ; and in 

 1737: for 35 Ravens' heads.. 53. lod. 



