SONG-BIRDS 



OSCINES. 



Raven Corvus. The great family of the Corvidse, embracing 

 about two hundred species (Seebohm), most of which contain large 

 numbers of individuals, is distributed almost over the whole earth. 

 Of the thirteen species resident in Europe, eleven have, up to the 

 present, visited Heligoland. 



37. Common Raven [KOLKRABE]. 

 CORVUS CORAX, Linn. 



Heligolandish : Groot Koab = Great Raven. 



Corvus corax. Naumann, ii. 43. 

 Common Raven. Dresser, iv. 567. 

 Corbeau noir. Temminck, Manuel, i. 107, iii. 55. 



Only one example of this species has been killed here, having 

 been shot by me on Sandy Island, late in the autumn of 1841. A 

 boat, laden with provisions, belonging to a resident of Heligoland, 

 had happened at this time to run aground on the sandbank of the 

 Dune, and its cargo, among which were a number of quarters of 

 beef and some carcases of sheep, was scattered about on the reef. 

 Now it is quite possible that the Raven passes over the island 

 frequently, but at such a height as to be beyond the range of 

 observation, and that this particular individual, having managed 

 by means of one or other of its highly-developed senses to discover 

 the rich meal spread out beneath it, descended in this instance 

 to its own destruction. Or the bird may have been led hither by 

 mere accident. In any case, it is one of those species which have 

 been observed here in only very rare instances. Since the date 

 mentioned, only two other examples have been observed. One of 

 these was shot at by Aeuckens; unfortunately, however, he 

 succeeded no further than in wounding the bird, which fell into the 

 sea, too far off the shore to be recovered. 



