341 



RAVEN. 



Comis Corax. C. Upedalis afeVj supra cceruleo-nitens, cauda 

 rotundata. 



Black Crow about two feet in length, with a blue gloss on the 



upper parts, and rounded tail. 

 Corvus Corax. C. atery dorso atro-ccerulescente, cauda subrO" 



tunda* Lin, Si/st, Nat. 

 The Raven. Will. Penn. Lath, Sfc. SfC, 

 Le Corbeau. Briss. Bvff. S^c, 



The Raven is the largest European species of 

 the present genus. Its general length is about 

 two feet two inches, and its breadth four feet : tbe 

 bill is strong and black, and the upper mandible 

 convex: the colour of the whole bird is black, 

 finely glossed with blue, except on the belly, 

 which is of a dusky colour. The Raven frequents 

 woody places, generally in the neighbourhood of 

 towns, for the sake of carrion and other offals on 

 which it prey^. It also attacks the smaller birds, 

 and even, occasionally, young lambs, leverets, &c. 

 It builds either on trees, or among rocks ; and the 

 nest is said to be composed of roots and twigs, in- 

 termixed with the bones of the animals on which 

 it has preyed, and is lined with moss, hair, &c. the 

 eggs are five or six in number, of a blueish-greeu 

 colour, spotted with brown: the young, accord- 

 ing to Aldrovandus, are at first rather white than 

 black, contrary to those of the Swan, which are 

 dusky at first, and afterwards grow gradually 

 white. 



