THE RAVEN. 



F all birds which have a convex, round, knife-shaped 

 |%,t^ bill, furnished at the base with hair projecting for- 

 wards, in other words, of all that belong to the tribe of 

 crows, this, from the breadth of its tongue, is the most easily- 

 taught to imitate the human voice. On the ground, he walks 

 in a stately manner, his motions exhibiting a kind of thoughtful 

 consideration almost amounting to gravity. His ordinary 

 voice consists of a hoarse croak, resembling the syllable crock 

 or c7-uck ; but he frequently emits a note not unlike the sound 

 of a sudden gulp, or the syllable cluck, which he seems to utter 

 when in a sportive mood ; for, although ordinarily grave, the 

 raven sometimes indulges in a frolic, performing somersets 



