CORVUS CORAX: RAVEN. 313 



FAMILY CORVID^ : CROWS AND JAYS. 



RAVEN. 

 CORVUS CORAX Z. 



Chars. Color uniform lustrous black, including the bill and feet ; 

 nasal bristles about half as long as the bill ; throat-feathers 

 lengthened, lanceolate, disconnected. Length, about 24.00 ; ex- 

 tent, about 48.00; wing, 16.00-18.00; tail, 9.00-10.00; bill, 2.25 ; 

 tarsus, 3.00. 



The ominous bird of the sable plume, whose voice 

 is heard so dismally in works of the imagination and 

 in traditions of folk-lore, holds but slight place in the 

 history of New England ornithology. It appears to 

 have been not uncommon a generation and more ago, 

 but is now certainly one of the rarities, late records of 

 its appearance being few. The bird still breeds occa- 

 sionally on the cliffs of Grand Menan, and is of more 

 frequent occurrence further north and east. It pre- 

 sumably breeds in the White and Green Mountains. 

 Mr. Cutting has found it in Vermont, and there are at 

 least two recent Massachusetts records. Prof. Ten- 

 ney notices a specimen at Williamstown (Am. Nat., 

 xi, 1877, p. 243), and Mr. Maynard speaks of one 

 shot at Tyngsboro' (Rod and Gun, vii, Oct. 30, 1875). 

 The latter writer believes (B. of E. N. A., p. 155) 

 that the Raven breeds in this locality, as a newly- 

 fledged individual was procured by Mr. William Per- 

 ham, who states that he was positive of the fact. 



