THE RAVEN. 
Nevada of Spain, numbering as many as fifty individuals. 
In such localities the Raven soon forms a prominent 
figure in the landscape. This large, striking bird is 
remarkable from afar; and its loud note, “ craak, craak,” 
less often “ crouk,” changing to a full-toned, “ cloog, 
cloog,” when the bird is unusually merry, may be 
heard a long way off. The expert easily recognizes the 
Raven by its beautiful, graceful, and active flight; its 
long, pointed wings, wedge-shaped tail, and superior 
size,'—one-third more than that of other crows,—as also 
by its proud bearing. 
In the gray of the morning the Raven ranges alone 
over his beat, excepting in the breeding season, when he 
is accompanied by his mate and progeny, as long as the 
latter are young and inexperienced, and therefore not 
self-dependent. He quits his roosting-place with caution, 
and rising to a safe altitude majestically takes his 
departure, gliding, when bound on business, for long 
distances on immovable pinions, now and again rising and 
falling in a beautiful screw-like line, hastening his flight 
with a more rapid motion of the wings. When taking a 
“constitutional” he performs various antics in the air, 
darting suddenly down a distance of several feet; at 
other times, however, he never seems to forget his own 
importance. On the mountains he flies near the ground, 
while he always crosses a valley at the height of the 
surrounding hills. In these flights nothing escapes his 
vigilant eye,—no incautious leveret, no mouse, no clumsy 
bird that moves, let alone any carrion there may be 
about; the latter is always approached with the greatest 
caution: circling over-head he descends gradually, ere 
he determines on alighting; when on the ground he 
steps forward with almost royal dignity and upright 
