('(jitvioj': — THE CROWS. 237 



It was never kiu)\vii to iittL'iii]>t to injure even tlie smallest of the yoiuij,' 

 ilojis, nor did any ui the tlo^n's ever oiler to annoy it. It at lenj^tli eanie to 

 be considered 1"' all as an inmate of the estahlishment. While it seemed to 

 liave full eontidenee in tiie people of the fort, it kept at a careful distamte 

 from all Indian or Ksiiuimaux visitors. 



Mr. r>. li. lioss speaks of Kavcns as common as far north as tlie Arctic 

 Ocean. They feed on carrion, and act as scavenjj;ers to tlie estuhlishnicnts. 

 Their sight is remarkahly keen, and the sagacity with which they follow tlie 

 tra^iper is wonderful. Karly as the hunter may start, these harpicis will ha\ e 

 lieen liefore him, and torn out the eyes and entrails nf each hare. They will 

 break into uiarten-trai»s for the sake of the liait or tla^ ca])tured animal, 

 thrusting aside or pulling out with their beaks the sticks that compose the 

 enclosure. Sometimes they are caught in steel tra])s that are set for foxes, 

 or eat the strychnine baits laid i'or the same animals, ami slowly succumb to 

 this powerful poison. Their flesh is so rank that even a fox, unless sorely 

 pressed ))y hunger, will not eat it. Tln^y i)air in April, and usually con- 

 struct their nests in the loftiest trees. They have various call-notes, one of 

 whicli is like that of the ("anada Goose, and another is said l)y Mr. lioss to 

 be very litpiiil and musical. 



j\lr. iJall states that these birds were abundant all the year at Nulato, and 

 indeed everywhere throughout Alaska, but nnich more common near the 

 Indian villages and trading-]iosts than elsewhere. They build on the .•Sand- 

 stone dill's at Nulato, in cavities that ha\c been occupied for years. They 

 lay about the 2(lth of April, and tlu; young .are hatched before open water. 

 He also sjieaks of tliem as very intelligent, and states that on several ex- 

 peditions made to obtain their eggs, the instant he stopped at the foot of 

 the bluff the whole colony would arrange themselves on the edge of the 

 rock in anxious consultation, uttering repeated cries of warning. On one 

 occasion, where the nest was inaccessible and the party went back unsuc- 

 cessful, their depart un; was announced by signilicant and joyous croaks 

 and derisive screeches. Havens were also found l>y Mr. IJannister com- 

 mon all the year on the small islands lying off tlie northeast point of St. 

 .Michaels. 



In the Eastern States the Kaven is a conijiaratively rare bird, except in a 

 few special localities. These are usually mountain-ranges, jiigli ]ireci]iitous 

 l)anks of rivers and lakes and of the ocean, and among wild and lonely 

 islands. It occurs on tlie Lala'ador coast, at (!rand Mcnan in the I'lay of 

 Fundy, the Adiromlacks, Lake (Jeorge, the Hudson Ji'iver, etc. Mr. Law- 

 rence speaks of it as quite common on the coast of Xew Jersey. It is 

 found among the ninuntains of I'uncombe and other counties in North 

 Carolina, and Mr. Audubon mentions its occurrence at Table ^L)untain, in 

 the district of Pendleton, Soutli Carolina. Dr. Coues found L'avens not rare 

 at Labrador, where the almost inaccessilile cliffs allbrd them safe and con- 

 venient reti'eats. They were .so excessively wary that it was found impossi- 



