RAVEN (AS. liracfn, OHG. hralnin, raban, Ger. Rabe, raven: perhaps connected with OPruss. kraceo, black woodpecker, Lat. corrus, Gk. n6prcE, raven, Lat. earnix, Gk. KOpthInh crow, Skt. karava, raven, and with Lat. eroeire, OClnu•ch Slay. krakati, to croak, as well as with OHO. hruok AS. hror, Eng. rook). The largest of corvine birds (Oorrus comae), a spe cies of crow usually more than two feet in length. The feathers on the neck are long, narrow, and pointed, forming a ruff; the bill is strong, compressed, sharp, somewhat hooked, and surrounded at the base with feathers and bris tles. The wings are long and powerful: the color is uniform black, lustrous in the male, and al though this bird is nowhere migratory, even en during winter in the Arctic regions, it never turns white at that season, as do most Arctic animals. The raven was originally to he found in almost all parts of the Northern Hemisphere, but is now nearly or quite extinct east of the high central plains, though still numerous in the western half of the country, and in Northwestern Canada. It goes about alone, or in pairs, and is one of the most omnivorous of birds, feeding on fruits and nuts, insects, worms, mollusks, birds' eggs and fledglings, and small mammals. It re joices in carrion, and not infrequently attacks weak or sickly beasts, almost invariably choos ing their eyes as its first point of assault. It
makes its nest of sticks, coarse weeds, wool, hair, and the like, on a narrow ledge of a precipice or in some similarly inaccessible situa tion, usually as early as February. The eggs are green, thickly marked with (lark streaks and blotches. (See Plate of EGGS OF SONG BIRDS.) Ravens are occasionally captured when young and become interesting pets. By nature they are impudent, cunning, inquisitive, and mischievous. They destroy everything that can be destroyed, apparently with real pleasure; and they will steal anything they can carry off, particularly glittering things. Moreover, they have consider able power of imitating human speech. Newton and others regard the raven as the most highly developed mentally and physically of all birds. It is celebrated for its longevity, and instances are on record of its living seventy or eighty years. In the Southwestern United States there is found a crow-like bird, the white-necked raven (Corrus cryptoleucus), with the neck-feathers of a raven, hut their bases pure white. Several other species are known in various parts of the world. Consult Newton, Dictionary of Birds (New York, 1896), and authorities therein cited. Compare CROW; JACKDAW; and see Plate Of JAYS, MAGPIES, ETC.