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. |
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Page 10
... flips in flight. Crows in Alaska reportedly break pieces of congealed A raven illustrated in a 19th-century book of natural history. The arms of the house of Corbet, showing the raven in an endearingly human aspect. 10.
... flips in flight. Crows in Alaska reportedly break pieces of congealed A raven illustrated in a 19th-century book of natural history. The arms of the house of Corbet, showing the raven in an endearingly human aspect. 10.
Page 11
Boria Sax. A raven illustrated in a 19th-century book of natural history. The raven is by far the largest and most imposing of corvids. •-•*^f*-• snow off sloping rooftops and use these as sleds to slide down. Lawrence Kilham, who later ...
Boria Sax. A raven illustrated in a 19th-century book of natural history. The raven is by far the largest and most imposing of corvids. •-•*^f*-• snow off sloping rooftops and use these as sleds to slide down. Lawrence Kilham, who later ...
Page 23
... every year. Those crows that have not yet reached breeding age or have failed to find a mate will stay with their parents and help to raise the next brood, assisting An illustration of a Blue Jay from Eaton's Birds of.
... every year. Those crows that have not yet reached breeding age or have failed to find a mate will stay with their parents and help to raise the next brood, assisting An illustration of a Blue Jay from Eaton's Birds of.
Page 24
Boria Sax. An illustration of a Blue Jay from Eaton's Birds of New York. Its bright colours and loud call help make this bird one of the most noticeable in North America. especially in the building of nests. A comparatively long lifespan ...
Boria Sax. An illustration of a Blue Jay from Eaton's Birds of New York. Its bright colours and loud call help make this bird one of the most noticeable in North America. especially in the building of nests. A comparatively long lifespan ...
Page 25
Boria Sax. 'The Rook' (Corvus frugilegus), an illustration by Jann Sepp of c. 1790. The rough, bare skin of this bird's face can make it appear somewhat like a fierce, helmeted warrior. Many crows, including the carrion crow and the ...
Boria Sax. 'The Rook' (Corvus frugilegus), an illustration by Jann Sepp of c. 1790. The rough, bare skin of this bird's face can make it appear somewhat like a fierce, helmeted warrior. Many crows, including the carrion crow and the ...
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