The Raven 



dency to diminution of size, especially in case of the languid birds of 

 the Santa Barbara Islands. 1 



In appearance the Raven presents several points of difference from 

 the Western Crow, with which it is popularly confused. The Raven is 

 not only larger, but its tail is relatively much longer, and the end of it is 

 fully rounded. The head, too, is fuller, and the bill proportionately 

 stouter, with a more rounded culmen. The feathers of the neck are 

 more loosely arranged, resulting in an impressive shagginess; and there 

 is a sort of primitive uncouthness about the entire appearance of these 

 ancient birds, quite in contrast with the unctuous sleekness of the dapper 

 crows. 



Not even the Crow is fastidious in diet, but the Raven indulges 

 propensities of appetite which have justly marked him an outlaw. Fre- 

 quenting, as he does, the waste places of the earth, there are two situa- 

 tions, or ranges, which the Raven especially affects, the rugged portions 

 of the seacoast and the cattle ranges of the interior (now, alas! largely 

 transformed into sheep ranges). In the former situation the Raven 

 subsists upon insects, shell-fish, and cast-up offal, together with those 

 main staples of spring and summer, the eggs and young of birds. On 

 the cattle ranges carrion becomes the staple of diet, or, in default of this, 

 the birds eat insects, frogs, lizards, and to some extent, no doubt, the 

 smaller mammals. The eggs and young of all ground-nesting and cliff- 

 haunting birds are diligently sought for. The lake borders and interior 

 marshes throughout the State suffer from the daily depredation of these 

 patient marauders. In the pursuit of their nefarious trade the Ravens 

 will endure almost any punishment of beak or claw, and the only limit 

 to the mischief wrought would appear to be the corvine capacity. 



Much stress has been laid elsewhere upon the destruction by Ravens 

 of young and sickly stock — calves, lambs and pigs. There is little 

 complaint of this in California. Whether the birds are better fed or 

 better bred, I am unable to say. But at that, I have no doubt that in 

 time of famine the exit of dying animals is often hastened by greedy 

 Ravens. Whether dead or only dying, the victim may expect the first 

 determined attack upon the eyes, for these the ghouls regard as their 

 choicest perquisites. Poultry is sometimes laid under tribute, and iso- 

 lated chicken ranches may suffer severely through the loss of young 

 chickens. On the other hand, some Ravens appear to realize that they 

 are being put upon their good behavior. Bendire records instances where 

 they have shared commons with the chickens without offering them any 

 indignity. 



'But to call these island birds darionensis , as some have done on the strength of their likeness to a single specimen 

 taken off the coast of Mexico, some thousand miles away, seems the height of absurdity. As a matter of fact, looking 

 out of the window of Caire's slaughter house on Santa Cruz Island. I have seen some "sockdollagers," which I would 

 match against principalis himself. {Vide Ridgway, Birds of N. & M. Am. vol. II. p. 265. Also cf. Bishop, "Condor," 

 XVII., No. 5, Oct. 10, 1915, p. 186.) 



