RAVEN. 673 
RAVEN.—CORVUS CORAX.--Fia. 318. 
Turt. Syst. 1, 218. —Korp. Faun. Svec. No. 85.— Faun. Groen. p. 62. — Leems, 
240. — Le Corbeau, De Buf v.16. Pl. enl. No. 495. — Briss. ii. 8. — Penn. Br. 
Zool. 1, No. 74.— Arct. Zool. No. 134.— Lath. 1, 367. — Bewick, 1, 100. —~ 
Rati Syn. p. 39. — Will. Orn. p. 121, pl. 18, — Albin, ii. pl. 20.— Corvus car- 
nivorus, Bartram, p. 290. — Peale’s Museum, No. 175. 
CORVUS CORAX. — Linnsxvs. 
Corvus corax, Bonap. Synop. p. 56.— Flem. Br. Anim. p. 87.— Raven, Mont. 
Orn. Dict. and Supp. p. 67. — Selby, Illust. Br. Orn. pl. 27. 
A know ence of this celebrated bird has been handed down to us 
from the earliest ages; and its history is almost coeval with that of 
man. In the best and most ancient of all books, we learn, that at the 
end of forty days, after the great flood had covered the earth, Noah, 
wishing to ascertain whether or no the waters had abated, sent forth a 
Raven, which did not return into the Ark.* This is the first notice 
that is taken of this species. Though the Raven was declared unclean 
by the law of Moses, yet we are informed, that, when the prophet 
Elijah provoked the enmity of Ahab, by prophesying against him, 
and hid himself by the Brook Cherith, the Ravens were appointed by 
Heaven to bring him his daily food.+ The color of the Raven has 
given rise to a similitude, in one of the most beautiful of eclogues, 
which has been perpetuated in all subsequent ages, and which is not 
less pleasing for being trite or proverbial. The favorite of the royal 
lover of Jerusalem, in the enthusiasm of affection, thus describes the 
object of her adoration, in reply to the following question: — 
‘What is thy beloved more than another beloved, 
O thou fairest among women?” 
“ My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among 
Ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold; 
His locks are bushy, and black as a Raven!’ ¢ 
* Genesis, viii. 7. + 1 Kings, xvii. 5, 6. 
¢ Song of Solomon, v. 9, 10, 11. 
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