

GENUS 13. CORVUS. CROW. 



SPECIES 1. C. CORrfX. 



RAVEN. 



[Plate LXXV. Fig. 3.] 



GMEL. 8yst. i, p. 364. Ind. Orn. p. 150. Le Corbeau, BRISS. 2, 

 p. 8, et van BUFF. Ois. 3, p. 13. Pi. enZ. 495. TEMM. Man. 

 d' 0rw. p. 107. 72avew, LATH. Gen. Syn. i, p. 367. /tJ. swp. p. 

 74. PENN. flri*. Zool. JVo. 74. .flrc*. ZooZ. JVo. 134. SHAW, 

 Gen. ZooL 7, p. 341. BEWICK, i,^p. 100. Low, Fauna Orca- 

 densis,p. 45. PEALE'S Museum, JVo. 175. 



A KNOWLEDGE of this celebrated bird has been handed down 

 to us from the earliest ages; and its history is almost coeval 

 with that of man. In the best and most ancient of all books, 

 we learn, that at the end of forty days, after the great flood had 

 covered the earth, Noah, wishing to ascertain whether or not 

 the waters had abated, sent forth a raven, which did not return 

 into the ark. * This is the first notice that is taken of this spe- 

 cies. Though the Raven was declared unclean by the law of 

 Moses, yet we are informed, that when the prophet Elijah pro- 

 voked the enmity of Ahab, by prophesying against him, and 

 hid himself by the brook Cherith, the Ravens were appointed 

 by Heaven to bring him his daily food.! The colour of the 

 Raven gave rise to a similitude in one of the most beautiful of 

 eclogues, which has been perpetuated in all subsequent ages, 

 and which is not less pleasing for being trite or proverbial. The 

 favourite of the royal lover of Jerusalem, in the enthusiasm of 

 affection, thus describes the object of her adoration, in reply to 

 the following question: 



* Genesis, viii, 7. t 1 King's, xvii, 5, 6. 



