Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/821

* RAVEN. 723 RAVENNA. ^ animals. The raven was originally to be 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 ledee of a precipice or in some similarly inaccessible situa- tion, usually as early as February. The eggs are green, thickly marked with dark streaks and blotches. (See Plate of Eggs of Song Bibds. ) 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 hvuuan 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 {Corvus cryptoleucus), with the neck-feathers of a raven, but 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. KAVENALA. A Madagascar plant. See Traveler's Tree. RAV'ENEL', Henry William (1814-87). An American botanist, born in Saint John's Parish, Berkeley County, S. C. He became a planter in Saint Johns, and then went to Aiken, S. C. He made a special study of the phsenogams of South Carolina and various fungi and erj'ptogams. The genus Ravenelia of the Uredineae is named after him. His works include: Fungi C'aroliniani Ea^siccati (1853 to I860), and Fungi Americani Exsiccati (1878 to 1882) with M. C. Cooke. RAVENNA, ra-ven'na. The capital of the Province of Ravenna, in the Compartimento of Emilia, Italy, situated on a marshy, un- healthful plain between the Lamojie and the Fiumi Uniti, six miles from the Adriatic, and about 40 miles east by south of Bologna (Map: Italy, G 3). Ravenna, connected with the sea by a canal, is surrounded by old bastions and low walls where may still be seen the iron rings to which the cables of ships were formerly fastened when the city was a seaport. It lies in a com- pact form. On the outskirts are extensive parks and pleasure grounds. In the centre of the town is the Piazza Vittnrio Emanuele, with two high columns erected in 1483 by the Venetians and bearing the statues of Saints Vitalis and Apol- linaris. The streets are wide and the squares are adorned with interesting statues, but the houses present a gloomy appearance, and the place, in its stillness, has a rather depressing ef- fect on the visitor. With its basilicas Ravenna is highly important in the history of Chris- tian art from about 400 to 800, the Byzantine and the early Roman forms of architecture being here abundanth illustrated and suggestively united in the ancient churches. The basilicas here differ in many respects from those of Rome. Their interiors manifest also Ravenna's prominence in mosaic painting. The Cathedral of Sant' Orso was rebuilt in 1734, and is of no great interest. Its ivory throne of Saint Maximian, its "Elijah" by Guido Reni, and the ornamentation of animals and foliage are, liowever, valued. The fine oc- tagonal Baptistery adjoining, supposed to be part of a Roman bath, was largely reconstructed after 1865. The interior is embellished with statues, and with the oldest (fifth century) of the rare mosaics of Ravenna, one of which here represents the Baptism of Christ. The interest- ing Church of San Vitale, situated where the saint was martyred, was consecrated in 547. It is octagonal. Its choir is embellished with rich mosaics. Charlemagne patterned the cathedral at Aix-la-Chapelle after this church. In the vicinity is the noteworthy mausoleum of Galla Plaeidia, now the San Nazario e Celso, begun in the middle of the fifth century by that Em- press. Its mosaics also are fine. Many of the earliest buildings in Ravenna are due to Galla Plaeidia and her brother Honorius. These struc- tures form in fact the unique period of its re- ligious architecture. The interesting Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo. containing elaborate mo- saics, was built by Theodoric as an Arian church. Adjacent to the Church of San Francesco is the tomb of Dante. It was reconstructed in 1780. His remains, which were kept hidden until 1865, are now inclosed in a marble urn. Another note- worthy church is the large Sant' Apollinare in Classe Fuori, dating from 535, and restored in 1779. In the northeast portion of Ravenna stands the old city castle, the Rocca di Brancaleone, of Venetian origin, and partly demolished in 1735. Still farther northeast is the mausoleum of Theodoric the Great, called the Rotonda. decag- onal in shape, with a Hat roof. A part of the palace of Theodoric, architecturally as well as historically of great interest, is still to be seen, together with a porphyry basin which is desig- nated as the King's coffin. The archiepiscopal palace, decorated with excellent mosaics, was re- stored in the sixteenth century. The Academy of Fine Arts, founded in 1827, has nothing of great note. The Byzantine Museum contains sculptures, fragments of architecture, etc. The former ilonastery of Classe, dating from 1515, holds the municipal collections. The communal library, dating from 1707, has about 75,000 vol- umes and 800 manuscripts, inchiding several very precious ones. Ravenna is intimately as- sociated wilh the lives of Dante and Lord Byron. They made famous the ancient pine forest which extends many miles along the coast to the south- cast. Directly south of the city rises the column of Gaston de Foix, who on April 11, 1512, de- feated the Spanish and Papal forces here and fell in the moment of victory. The principal indus- tries are the cultivation of the vine, the spinning and weaving of silk, and the manufacture of wine, glass, leather, bricks, and musical instru- ments. A large fair is held in May. The com- merce is in cereals, wine, fruits, rice, and fish.