44 



INSE8S0RES 



breast are bright y allow; the throat being crossed 

 with a broad crescent -shaped band of velvety 

 black. 



We must now leave these " creatures of music and 

 of song," and listen for a while to the cawings of a 

 ruder class, such as the Eaven, Crow, Magpie, and 

 Jay, among which, however, we shall find much to 

 interest and instruct us. 



Of the Crow family the Kaven is the most promi- 

 nent on account of its size, as well as its many sin- 

 gular qualities. From very early ages it has been 

 regarded with reverence and awe by the superstitious, 

 as being possessed of something unearthly in its 



nature; in heathen 

 countries, especially, 

 it has been looked 

 upon by both priests 

 and people as a fore- 

 teller of events. In 

 some of the Indian 

 tribes of North Ame- 

 rica, their priests 

 wear, as a mark of 

 their sacred profes- 

 sion, two or three Ra- 

 ven skins affixed to 

 the girdle behind the 

 back, in such a man- 

 ner that the tails 

 ""^^n- stick out horizontal- 



ly from tne body. They have also a split Raven skin 



