COIIVID.K — THE cuovvs. 239 



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

 herds of cattle, and keeps on tiie lookout for anything liefalling them. It is 

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

 last very rarely. It is aceu.sed of destroying young chickens and lambs. 



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

 the cattle enchjsui'es, where it congregates in immense numljcrs during the 

 autumn and winter. During the severe winter of 1804 -G") great numbers 

 perished of cold and iuinger at Fort Wliipple. Dr. Coues has favored us 

 with the following interesting sketcli of the habits of tliis bird as observed 

 by him in that Territory. 



" The geograpliical distribution of the Eaven seems to l)e in great meas- 

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

 among the mountains, of the Western States .and Tenitories, wliere the 

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

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

 leaving the settlements this side of the Plains, while the Havens were con- 

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

 no Havens amongst tJiem. I saw a fair nunxber of Havens along the Arkan- 

 sas River, and they were i'reiiiu^nt in the valley of the Hio Grande ; after 

 cro.ssing tlie river, while traversing the wild region thence to the Colorado, 

 they were our inse])arable com])anions ; liundreds, if not thousands, of them 

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

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

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

 siiare of his spoils, dis])uting with the wolves and vultures for the refuse of 

 his cam]), and polisliing the skeletons of the Ijulfalo, with which he some- 

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

 follows in the trail of the emigranj, till its disAial croaking sounds ominous 

 of hardshiji, and its plumage seems to foreshadow days as dark, 



" One accustomed to the shrewdness and ])rudence of Crows in populous 

 districts is at first surprised at an a])i)arent familiarity the Haven often 

 shows in tlie West. Tiiere no one would tliink of wasting amnmnition on 

 the worthless bird, and it comes to look ui)on man more as its provider than 

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

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

 lie always has his wits al)out him, and keeps a bright lookout when anything 

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

 ferent from tlie cliildlike timidity of little birds like Sparrows, that scurry 

 away in terror from any unusual sight or sound, and uiuiuestionaldy impliis 

 keen powers of observation coupliid with no small degree of reasoning 

 faculty. Almost every day during the winter of 18(i4-0r) I must have 

 pa.ssed within a few paces of H'aveiis stalking about the fort ; and yet, when 

 I wanted 'a specimen, it was not an ea.sy matter to secure one. The birds 

 assuredly knew the difi'erence between a person going (juietly about his busi- 



