CrowThough not generally perceived as graceful, crows are remarkably so—a single curve undulates from the tip of the bird’s beak to the end of its tail. They take flight almost without effort, flapping their wings easily and ascending into the air like spirits. Crow by Boria Sax is a celebration of the crow and its relatives in myth, literature, and life. Sax takes readers into the history of crows, detailing how in a range of cultures, from the Chinese to the Hopi Indians, crows are bearers of prophecy. For example, thanks in part to the birds’ courtship rituals, Greeks invoked crows as symbols of conjugal love. From the raven sent out by Noah to the corvid deities of the Eskimo, from Taoist legends to Victorian novels and contemporary films, Sax’s book ranges across history and culture and will interest anyone who has ever been intrigued, puzzled, annoyed, or charmed by these wonderfully intelligent birds. |
From inside the book
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Page 11
... feather dropped to the ground and the raven flew off. As Kilham stopped to reload his gun, the raven returned and flew over his head. The purplish remains of cranberries the raven had been eating fell on his hat, and Kilham concluded ...
... feather dropped to the ground and the raven flew off. As Kilham stopped to reload his gun, the raven returned and flew over his head. The purplish remains of cranberries the raven had been eating fell on his hat, and Kilham concluded ...
Page 13
... feathers show a purple or green gloss in certain lights. The hooded crow has a large area of pale grey on the back of the neck and lower breast. Otherwise, the two subspecies are almost identical, and they interbreed freely where their ...
... feathers show a purple or green gloss in certain lights. The hooded crow has a large area of pale grey on the back of the neck and lower breast. Otherwise, the two subspecies are almost identical, and they interbreed freely where their ...
Page 15
... feathers surrounding them. Jackdaws are found throughout Europe and in the western part of Asia. Their habit of chattering as they flutter about has given them a special reputation for mischief. There are over 20 to 30 additional ...
... feathers surrounding them. Jackdaws are found throughout Europe and in the western part of Asia. Their habit of chattering as they flutter about has given them a special reputation for mischief. There are over 20 to 30 additional ...
Page 21
... , and confronted them with A Northern Raven and a Canada )ay by Louis Agassiz Puertes. The thick feathers enable these two corvids to thrive in frigid northern latitudes. a puzzle, which turned out to be far too elementary. 21.
... , and confronted them with A Northern Raven and a Canada )ay by Louis Agassiz Puertes. The thick feathers enable these two corvids to thrive in frigid northern latitudes. a puzzle, which turned out to be far too elementary. 21.
Page 36
... feathers have grown, at which point their parents take over. At times in the Bible, the raven is used as a symbol of desolation. The book of Zephaniah states that after the destruction of Edom, 'the owl and the raven will live there' (2 ...
... feathers have grown, at which point their parents take over. At times in the Bible, the raven is used as a symbol of desolation. The book of Zephaniah states that after the destruction of Edom, 'the owl and the raven will live there' (2 ...
Contents
31 | |
38 | |
The European Middle Ages and Renaissance | 55 |
Asia | 80 |
Native American Culture | 90 |
The Romantic Era | 102 |
Lord of the Crows | 128 |
The Twentieth Century and Beyond | 144 |
References | 164 |
Bibliography | 168 |
Websites | 175 |
Associations | 177 |
Acknowledgements | 178 |
Photo Acknowledgements | 179 |
Index | 180 |
Timeline | 162 |
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Common terms and phrases
Ages and Renaissance American crow animals Apollo appear archaic associated Athena Badbh battle beak became behaviour birds body carrion crow Celtic Celts colour common raven corone corvids creatures crow Corvus crow or raven crows and ravens culture dead death deity divination Emperor Ernest Thompson Seton especially Europe fable farmers feathers fields flew genus Corvus Ghost Dance goddess Gogh Greek Grimm brothers heaven hero hooded crow Horapollo human illustration Indians Inuit Irish jackdaw Jacob de Voragine killed king legend literature live Lorenz magpie medieval Middle Ages myths Native Americans nests nineteenth century Noah numbers O'Casey Odin painted pecking perched perhaps poem popular probably prophet raven or crow Roman rooks scarecrow scaring scientists Sean O'Casey Seton shows Silverspot sometimes story symbol tale tell told traditions tree twentieth century wings wolves word wrote young