Genus XIII. CORVUS. CROW. 
Species I. C. CORAX. 
RAVEN. 
[Plate LXXV. Fig. 3.] 
Gmel. Syst. I., p. 364. — Ind. Orn. p. 150. — Le Corbeau, Briss. 2, p. 8, et var. — 
Buff. Ois. 3, p. 13. PI. enl. 495. — Temm. Man. d' Oni. p. 107. — Raven, Lath. 
Gen. Syn. i., p. 367- Id. sup. p. 74. — Penn. Bi it. Zool. No. 74. Ard. Zool. No. 
134. — ShxVW, Gen. Zool. 7, p. 341. — Bewick, i., p. 100. — Low, Fauna Orcaclensis, 
p. 45. 
A KNOWLEDGE of this Celebrated bird has been handed down to us 
from the earhest ages ; and its history is almost coeval with that of man. 
In the best and most ancient of all books, we learn, that al the end of 
forty days, after the great flood had covered the earth, Noah, wishing 
to ascertain whether or not 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 pro- 
voked 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.f The color of the Raven gave 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 en- 
thusiasm of affection, thus describes the object of her adoration, in reply 
to the following question : 
" What is thy beloved more than another beloved, 0 thou fairest 
among women ?" " My beloved is white and ruddy, the chief est among 
ten tliousand. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, 
ayid black as a Raven 
The above mentioned circumstances taken into consideration, one 
should suppose that the lot of the subject of this chapter would have 
been of a different complexion from what history and tradition inform 
us is the fact. But in every country, we are told, the Raven is con- 
* Genesis, viii. 7. f 1 Kings, xvii. 5, 6. 
X Song of Solomon, v. 9, 10, 11. 
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