COUVID.K — THE CROWS. 280 



and almndant even in the most barren desert districts. Tt follows trains and 

 herds of cattle, and keeps on tlie lookout for anything l)efalling them. It is 

 omnivorous, eating snakes, lizards, eggs, carrion, and even grain, tliough the 

 last verv rarelv. It is accused of destrovini' young chickens and lambs. 



In Arizona I )r. Cones speaks of it as resident, and very abundant about 

 the cattle encl(»sures, wliere it congregates in innuense numljcrs during tlie 

 autumn and winter. During the severe winter of lS04-()r) great numbers 

 perished of cold and hunger at Fort Whipple. Dr. Coues has favored us 

 with the following interesting sketch of the habits of this bird as observed 

 by him in that Territory. 



" The geograjiliical distril)ution of the Raven seems to be in great meas- 

 ure com])lementary to that of tlie Crow. On the prairies, in the desert, 

 among the mountains, of the Western States and Territories, where the 

 IJavens and their congenial companions, tlie coyotes, abound, the Crows are 

 rare or wanting altogether. In travelling westward, I saw ikj Crows after 

 leaving the settlements this side of the Plains, while the liavens w^ere con- 

 spicuous, until in some parts of Southern California Crows reappeared, but 

 no Ravens amongst t4iem. I saw a fair number of Ravens along the Arkan- 

 sas River, and they were frequent in the valley of the Rio Grande ; after 

 crossing the river, while traversing the wild region thence to the Colorado, 

 they were our inse])arable companions ; hundreds, if not thousands, of them 

 lived about Fort Whi[)ple all the year, seemingly attracted from miles 

 around by ])robabilities of finding abundant food. Throughout the Western 

 wilds they hang on the footste])s of man, needy adventurers, claiming their 

 share of his s])oils, disputing with the wolves and vultures for the refuse of 

 his camp, and polishing the skeletons of the builalo, with which he some- 

 times strews the plain. The more desolate the land, the closer the Raven 

 follows in the trail of the emigi-aiij, till \t^ disi^ial croaking souiids ominous 

 of hardship, and its plumage seems to foreshadow days as dark. 



" One accustomed to the shrewdness and prudence of Crows in populous 

 districts is at first surprised at an apparent familiarity the Raven often 

 shows in the West. There no one would think of wasting ammunition on 

 the worthless bird, and it comes to look upon man more as its provider than 

 as an enemy. Nevertheless, like the rest of its tribe, the Raven is a saga- 

 cious bird, not likely to be twice deceived, and very ready to take a hint ; 

 he always has his wits about him, and keeps a bright lookout when anything 

 stranger than a coyote is near. This wariness is something altogether dif- 

 ferent from the childlike timidity of little birds like Sparrows, that scurry 

 away in terror from any unusual sight or sound, and unquestionably imi)lies 

 keen powers ol' observation coujded with no small degree of reasoning 

 faculty. Almost every day during the winter of 1864-65 I must have 

 passed within a few paces of Ravens stalking about the fort ; and yet, when 

 I wanted *a specimen, it was not an easy matter to secure one. The birds 

 assuredly knew the diftbrence between a person going (juietly aliout his busi- 



