RAVEN. 



399 



RASORES (Illiger.) — * Scratchers, a family of birds who scratch 

 their food from the earth.* 



RAVEN (Corvus corax, Linnaeus.) 



Corvus eorax, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 155. 2. — Fauna Suec. No. 85 Gmel. Syst. p. 364 



sp. 2.— Lath. Ind. Orn. 1. p. 150. 1. — Flem. Br. Anim. p. 87. — Corvus, Briss. 



11. p. 8. l.—Baii, Syn. p. 39. A. 1.— Le Coibeau, Buff. Ois. 3. p. 13. t. 2 



lb. pi. Enl. 495. — Corbeau noir, Temm. Man. d'Orn. 1. p. 107. — Kolkrabe, 

 Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 2. p. 148 — Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. I. p. 93 — Raven, 



Br. Zool. 1. p. 218. 74 Arct. Zool. 2. No. 134.— Lewin's Br. Birds, 1. t. 33. 



—Lath. Syn. 1. p. 367. 1 lb. Supp. p. 74.— Mont. Orn. Diet lb. Supp 



Bewick's Br. Birds — Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 4. — White's Hist. Selb. — Wils. Amer. 

 Orn. 9. p. 113 Selby, pi. 27*. p. 67.* 



Provincial. — Corby. 



This is the largest species of the crow genus ; there is no difference 

 in the plumage of the sexes. The male weighs about two pound seven 

 ounces ; the female four or five ounces more ; length near two feet ; 

 the bill is black, strong, and thick, two inches and three quarters in 

 length ; nostrils covered with bristles, which reach more than half way 

 down the bill ; irides dusky ; the whole plumage is black, the upper 

 parts glossed with blue ; the under dull and dusky ; tail consists of 

 twelve feathers, somewhat rounded ; about the throat the feathers are 

 long, loose, and sharp pointed. 



The Raven is a very hardy, crafty, and wary bird ; is found in all 

 climates, from the frozen shores of Greenland to the regions of the 

 torrid zone. The corvus australis of Gmelin, which Captain Cook 

 found in the Friendly Isles, in the South Seas, is probably no other 

 than a variety of this bird. 



It is a voracious species, and seems to possess much of the habits of 

 the vulture ; and, like that tribe, it is patient in hunger, and possesses 

 the sense of smell in an exquisite degree of perfection. Even at Hud- 

 son's Bay, where the severity of the frost rapidly destroys the effluvia 

 of dead matter, these birds assemble from all quarters very soon after 

 the slaughter of any animal, glut themselves in plenty, retire to a 

 small distance to digest, and then return again to their meal. * " This 

 supposed faculty of smelling death," says Mr. Knapp, "formerly rendered 

 their presence, or even their voice, ominous to all ; as, 

 ' That hateful messenger of heavy things, 

 Of death and dolour telling 



and the unusual sound of their harsh croak still, when illness is in 

 the house, with some timid and affectionate persons, brings old fancies to 

 remembrance, savouring of terror and alarm." * It renders itself highly 

 useful by devouring putrid matter, which would be highly obnoxious ; 

 and on this account it would be treated with veneration, if its appetite 



