CORVITS. BIRDS. 199 



P. Braziliensis, Cuv. (Ramphastos momota, Lin.) Brazilian Saw- 

 bill. Green above, buff-coloured beneath ; crown blue, marked 

 with a black spot ; the two middle tail-feathers elongated ; head 

 large ; bill black ; legs black, and claws hooked. Size of the 

 thrush. Inhabits Brazil. Sham, viii. pi. 3. 



P. riificapillus. (BarypJionus, Vieill.) Plumage of the wings and 

 back green ; primaries and tail blue ; top of the head red ; upper 

 part of the breast reddish ; a patch of black on the front of the 

 neck ; tail equal. Fourteen inches long. Inhabits Paraguay. 

 Shaw, xiv. 84. 



P. cyanogaster, (B. cyanogaster, Vieill.) Blue-bellied Momot. Green 

 above ; blue beneath ; tail cuneated. Length fourteen inches and 

 a-half. Inhabits Paraguay. 



Gen. 4 Convus, Lin. 



Bill straight at its origin, thick, compressed on the sides, bent 

 towards the point, and edged ; nostrils covered by reflected 

 bristly feathers ; legs and feet plated ; toes, three before and 

 one behind, divided; tarsus longer than the middle toe; wings 

 acuminated, the fourth feather longest. 

 1. Crows. 



C. Corax, Lin. The Raven*. Bill very strong ; plumage glossy 

 black, the upper parts with purple reflections; tail strongly round- 

 ed; iris with two circles, gray and brown. The young when 

 hatched incline to whitish. Two feet long Selby, Illust. pi. 27- 

 The Raven is found in every quarter of the globe, and under all climates. Its 

 voracity is proverbial. In Greenland ravens usually haunt the neighbourhood of the 

 sea, assembling in troops during winter around the huts of the natives, plundering 

 the provisions, devouring the offals, or even from hunger pulling the leathern 

 canoes to pieces. On the north-west coast of Hudson's Bay, in Kamtschatka, 

 &c^ they prey in concert with the white bear, the arctic fox, and the eagle, 

 greedily seizing the eggs of otht'r birds, shore-fish, and such testaceous and crus- 

 taceous animals as happen to be within their reach ; and they frequent woody places, 

 in the neighbourhood of towns, for the sake of carrion and other refuse. They 

 are also unsparing of ducklings and chickens, and destroy sickly sheep and lambs. 

 Ravens build their nests in the crevices or in the holes of walls, on the top of desert- 

 ed towers, or in the forks of large trees. The female lays generally five or six 

 eggs, of a pale bluish green, marked with numerous spots and streaks of brown 

 and ash-colour. Incubation lasts about twenty days, during which period the male 

 assiduously waits on his mate, and not only provides her with abundance of food, 

 but relieves her in turn, taking her place in the nest during part of the day. Ravens 

 live to a great age, some well authenticated cases being on record of their having 

 completed a century. When they croak three or four times, repeatedly extending 

 their wings, and shaking the leaves of the trees on which they are perched, they 

 are said to foretell serene weather. The Greenlanders observe that when they 

 roam about in a restless manner, making a noise in the air, they presage a violent 

 south wind and tempest. 



C. corone, Lin. The Carrion Crow. Plumage deep black with 

 violet reflections ; tail rounded ; bill and feet black; iris hazel- 

 coloured. Eighteen inches long Selby, Illust. pi. 28. 

 This species is as widely diffused as the raven, being common in most parts of the 



world. They feed on flesh, eggs, worms, insects, and various sorts of grain ; carrion, 



