570 



and the Ourthe, as also in the Ardennes ; and a few pairs inhabit the woods of the low countries ; 

 but in the flat plains of Flanders, and near Antwerp, it is rare. Degland and Gerbe (Orn. Eur. 

 i. p. 197) speak of it as being resident in most parts of France, especially in the mountainous 

 portions and in the large forests. It is common in Portugal ; and Dr. E. Rey speaks of it (J. f. O. 

 1872, p. 145) as being numerous at Algarve, where it is often seen in large flocks. In Spain it 

 is, Mr. Saunders writes (Ibis, 1871, p. 221), " abundant, and resident throughout the country, 

 breeding in rocks or on trees indiscriminately. In Majorca this species, elsewhere so wary, is as 

 tame as our Rooks are with ploughmen, and may be seen stalking about in pairs after the 

 peasants who are working in the olive-plantations." Mr. A. von Homeyer met with it in the 

 Balearic islands, says that it remains there to breed, and frequents rocky localities. In Italy it 

 is resident, and tolerably common in the Alps, the Apennines, and the hilly districts, but rare in 

 the plains, especially in the Modenese district ; nor does it appear to breed in Lombardy. In 

 Sicily Doderlein says that it is very abundant, and a pair which have their nest in Monte 

 Pellegrino may frequently be seen wheeling over Palermo. Writing on the ornithology of 

 Sardinia, Mr. A. B. Brooke says (Ibis, 1873, p. 248) it is "very common. On the 2nd of May 

 I was witness to what must have been an unusual migration of these birds. When on the road 

 halfway between Iglesias and St. Antioco, I saw and counted more than one hundred Ravens 

 in one large straggling flock, tossing and tumbling about in the air, performing all kinds of 

 curious antics, uttering incessantly their harsh croak. They were proceeding, as long as I could 

 see them, rapidly and steadily in a north-easterly direction, not flying very high. One nest I 

 found contained six young birds — an unusually large number." 



In Southern Germany it is, comparatively speaking, rare, and is rapidly decreasing in 

 numbers. Dr. A. Fritsch states that though a few years ago it used to frequent the Krummau 

 and Winterberg districts in Bohemia, it is said now only to occur on the side of the Bohmerwald 

 nearest to Upper Austria, on the Mihl river, and Leichten. In Styria, near Cilli, Mr. Seiden- 

 sacher informed me, it is rare, but breeds there in small numbers ; and its nest has been found 

 at Greis, Suetina, &c. Dr. Otto Finsch speaks (J. f. O. 1859, p. 384) of it as being extremely 

 common in the Balkan range. I frequently observed it in Wallachia, Servia, and Bulgaria ; and 

 Messrs. Elwes and Buckley state that it is more or less common in Turkey. In Greece it is 

 common, and resident, and is stated by both Von der Muhle and Lindermayer to be much 

 commoner there than it is in Germany. Erhardt refers to it as a resident in the Cyclades ; and 

 Dr. Kriiper found it breeding in the steep precipices in the mountains on Naxos. Lord Lilford 

 also states of it (Ibis, 1860, p. 135) : — " Very common in Corfu and Epirus. A pair breed every 

 year in the citadel-rock of Corfu, and are annually robbed of their young by the soldiers. I 

 observed small flocks of Ravens in September, haunting the Bay of Corfu, and particularly 

 the island of Vido. I saw a Raven near Scutari, the capital of Albania proper, with white 

 wings." 



In Asia Minor it occurs, but not so commonly as in Greece ; but Dr. Kriiper says that a few 

 pairs breed near Smyrna. It is, however, rare in Southern Russia, where, according to Professor 

 von Nordmann, a few are found in the hills of the Crimea and on the wooded edges of the 

 steppes. He himself only observed it three or four times during a sojourn of five years in that 

 country. Canon Tristram found it common in Palestine, and remarks that, except during the 



