Evening star., 1954-10-06
Ravens Also War Over
Territorial Boundaries
Birds Grob Their Domain,
Fight to Keep Sovereignty
By Thomos R. Henry

Dy IHOWuS N. Heny
MOUNTAIN LAKE, Va.,-A pair Of
ravens requires about 10 square miles
to forage and pre-empts this territory,
which 1t defends from all intruders.
The two birds defend the same area,
with q constant succession Of border
wars. during their lives which may last
as long as 20 years.
These are observations of University
Of Virginia biologists at the university's
summer experiment station located in
the heart of raven land"-the south
ern Blue Ridge Mountains where the
somewhat sinister birds nest in Gre
vases of cliffs which can be scaled
only with ropes at considerable peril.
Such cliffs usually overlook deep
mountain valley. One case has been
observed here where the raven pair
pre-empted the cliffs on both sides Of
such valley, thus making it their ex-
elusive territory.
There is a curious break in the dis
tribution Of ravens, the University Of
Virginia biologists point out. They are
among the most abundant of all birds
in Labrador and Greenland. Around
American Greenland air stations the
streets are full of them and they are
the most common scavengerS. South
ward there is hiatus, with only rare
specimens being reported in New Eng
land and the Alleghanies as far South
as Virginia. Then they become again
fairly common but with somewhat
different way of life. Whereas in the
far north they congregate around hu-
man dwellings, in the South they are
extremely shy.
POe's Raven.
The raven might be considered the
University of Virginia's own bird. At
one time when he was student there.
Edgar Allan Poe apparently became
familiar with ravens-how, the biolo-
gists wonder. Certainly none of the
birds ever ventured so far into civiliza-
ton as Charlottesville and there is no
record that Poe ever visited the noun
tains. The best conjecture is that
somebody around the university may
have captured raven as pet and
possibly taught it to talk. At any rate
the university's highest honor society
for many years has been the Raven
Society.
How the sound "nevermore" came to
be attributed to the raven is problem.
It's normal call is hoarse croak. 1t is
one of the filthiest of known birds.
Very recently ravens around the
biological station have started to aban-
don their cliff habitats and nest in
trees-a practice hitherto unknown.
. z
greater with reduction of more than
20 per cent in the cost of feed required
per pound can be achieved with fat
tening steers by adding extremely
minute amounts of the hormone-like
substance di-ethylstilbesterol to their
rations.
This remarkable experimental ac-
complishment, which might have far
reaching effects on the beef industry
has Just been reported to the American
Association for the Advancement Of
Science here by DR.. Wise Burroughs
and his associates of Iowa State College.
With each of several experiments,
DR.. Burroughs says in his report to
the American Association, the data
show that incorporation of mere trace
amounts of the substance markedly
increased weight gains when the fat
tening steers were compared to the
other animals not getting this supple
ment to their rations.
Widely Practiced.
"It has been observed previously"
he says, that di-ethylstilbesterol pei
lets placed as implants under the skin
of fattening cattle result in more rapid
and efficient overweight gains. But
this method has ueG been widely prac-
ticed by cattle feeders. A potential
human health hazard is involved If
substantial pellet residues remain in the
tissues of treated cattle at time Of
slaughter. Pellet implantation during
the fattening period may influence ad-
versely carcass quality. Animals may
exhibit undue reStleSsness. Some may
exhibit poison symptoms.
1.-The current experiments indicate
that oral administration produces the
desirable effects without any Of the
undesirable side effects. The material
can easily be removed from the rations
should unforseeable situations develop
When di-ethylstilbesterol is implanted
as a pellet the rate Of releases Of the
material cannot be adequately con-
trolled.
But the placing of trace amounts
five milligrams daily per steer) in
creased live-weight gains as much as
IS per cent over control animals as
reduced feed costs per unit of gain as
much as 20 per cent. No reduction In
the fatness of the cattle or in the
quality of meat was noted"