218 Cowidce. 



Crow/ In France it is Le Coracias Huppt ou sonneur ; in 

 Germany, Stein-Krahe ' Stone (or Rock) Crow ;' and in Italy, 

 Coracia di montagna. 



94. RAVEN (Corvus corax). 



If the Crows exhibit more intelligence than all other families, 

 as is often asserted, here we have the most sagacious of the 

 Crows. Unlike many of its congeners, the Raven lives for the 

 most part a solitary life, at least in this country, but it is not so- 

 everywhere. I have had many opportunities of seeing it in 

 small colonies in Norway, in Portugal, and in Egypt, and Canon 

 Tristram, writing of the birds of North Africa, says it is gregarious 

 both in the mountains and deserts there, returning home to- 

 roost at sunset in a long file after the manner of rooks ; more- 

 over, though not breeding in communities, the nests are 

 frequently within a few yards of each other.* Mr. Salvin, speaking 

 of the Eastern Atlas, says it was no uncommon sight to see 

 twenty or thirty of these birds at one time.f It is also most 

 ubiquitous, and impervious (as it would appear) to the effect of 

 extreme heat or cold. We have seen above how they frequent 

 the burning desert of Africa ; and Arctic voyagers relate that it 

 is one of the few birds capable of braving the severity of an Arctic 

 winter. Sir Edward Parry met with it in the highest northern 

 latitudes; it was found at Melville Island; and Nordenskiold, in 

 his famous voyage, says that in a journey over the inland ice in 

 exploring a northern portion of Greenland, during the whole of 

 his excursion on the ice he had seen no animal except a couple 

 of Ravens.J 



It is by far the largest of all the pie tribe in Europe, of strong 

 robust shape, of grave and dignified bearing ; its plumage of the 

 deepest and glossiest black, with purple, blue, and green reflec- 

 tion. The term Raven has been derived from an old word 

 signifying to tear away, or snatch and devour, alluding to 



Ills for 1859, p. 292. f Ibid., p. 312. 



% * Arctic Voyages, 5 p. 165. 



