RAVEN. 5 



the countries of the north, and is able to travel over immense tracts of 

 land or water without rest. 



The Raven is omnivorous, its food consisting of small animals of every 

 kind, eggs, dead fish, carrion, shell-fish, insects, worms, nuts, berries, and 

 other kinds of fruit. I have never seen one attack a large living animal, 

 as the Turkey Buzzard and Carrion Crow are wont to do ; but I have 

 known it follow hunters when without dogs, to feed on the offals of the 

 game, and carry off salted fish when placed in a spring to freshen. It 

 often rises in the air with a shell-fish for the purpose of breaking it by 

 letting it fall on a rock. Its sight is exceedingly acute, but its smell, if it 

 possess the sense, is weak. In this respect, it bears a great resemblance 

 to our vultures. 



The breeding season of this bird varies, according to the latitude, 

 from the beginning of January to that of June. I have found young Ravens 

 on the banks of the Lehigh and the Susquehannah rivers on the 1st of 

 May ; about ten days later on those of the majestic Hudson ; in the be- 

 ginning of June on the island of Grand Manan off the Bay of Fundy ; 

 and at Labrador, as late as the middle of July. The nest is always placed 

 in the most inaccesssible part of rocks that can be found, never, I believe, 

 on trees, at least in America. It is composed of sticks, coarse weeds, 

 wool, and bunches of hair of different animals. The eggs are from four 

 to six, of a rather elongated oval shape, fully two inches in length, having 

 a ground colour of light greenish-blue, sprinkled all over with small irre- 

 gular blotches of light purple and yellowish-brown, so numerous on the 

 larger end, as almost entirely to cover it. The period of incubation extends 

 to nineteen or twenty days. Only one brood is raised in a year, unless the 

 eggs or young be removed or destroyed. The young remain in the nest 

 many weeks before they are able to fly. The old birds return to the same 

 nest for years in succession ; and should one of them be destroyed, the 

 other will lead a new partner to the same abode. Even after the young 

 have made their appearance, should one of the parents be killed, the sur- 

 vivor usually manages to find a mate, who undertakes the task of assisting 

 in feeding them. 



The Raven may be said to be of a social disposition, for, after the 

 breeding season, flocks of forty, fifty, or more, may sometimes be seen, as 

 I observed on the coast of Labrador, and on the Missouri. When domes- 

 ticated, and treated with kindness, it becomes attached to its owner, and 

 will follow him about with all the familiaritv of a confiding friend. It is 



