contributed to its recognition, while its association with the
cherished beliefs of many nations causes it yet to be regarded
with awe and reverence even by those who hate it. Bold
and sagacious, with a quick eye and, possibly, a keen sense
of smell, it must have been the familiar follower of the
prehistoric hunter and fisher, as, where it now exists, it is of
their successors, feasting on the refuse of their spoils and
hardly molested by them ; but it must always have been an
object of distrust, or something stronger, to herdsmen. No
sooner does an animal betray any sign of weakness, than the
Baven is on the watch for the opportunity, and, cautiously
awaiting the prostration of its victim, it begins its attack on
the eye—especially if the creature be large and still alive,
after which, applying itself to the perinaeum, it proceeds
gradually to draw out the intestines, until the muscles of
the eviscerated carcase alone are left to furnish a future meal.
This, however, is a state of things which follows chiefly on
the bird’s acquaintance with man and the beasts he has
domesticated; for, though undoubtedly the Raven is not
slow to avail itself of any carrion that falls in its way, it is
yet far from being entirely dependent on such means of
subsistence, but hunts and takes prey for itself much after
the manner of some of the Accipitres, whereby it does not
incui the leprobation with which it is so often, and often so
ti uly, charged. A pair of Ravens, known for many years to
the Editor, lived almost exclusively on moles, as he had
ample facility of determining from repeated examination of
the pellets of bone and hair which they, like so many other
carnivorous birds, cast u p ; and unless Ravens, as is now
larely the case in England, happen to be plentiful in any
district, the amount of harm they do is insignificant. Yet
it is otherwise in the wilder and mountainous parts of
Britain, and considerable loss is there inflicted by the Raven
on the owners of sheep, while even larger cattle suffer from
its attacks. But, as Saxby has well shewn, these are almost
invariably the beasts that, in the last stage of feebleness or
want, are left to take their chance on the barren hillside
and thus meet their fate, the blame being due rather to
their careless or cruel masters than to the Raven that puts
an end to their wretched existence. Like the other birds of
this genus, the Raven is not particular in its d ie t: animal
food of any kind is welcome, and on the sea-coast the shore
is closely searched for dead fishes, mollusks, crustaceans or
other invertebrates, while, inland, grain is occasionally eaten.
The Raven inhabits high rocks or open plains, where
danger may be seen and avoided. For that reason it, in
these days, generally avoids woodland and enclosed countries,
though in truth, it having now been extirpated throughout
most of the interior of England, one cannot positively assert
that this was so formerly. There was a time, and that not
so long ago, when nearly every district, even in the midland
counties, had its pair, well known to the whole countryside,
while equally well known was the tall “ Ravens’ tree” in
which, year after year, the old nest was refurnished and the
eggs laid. Space would here fail to repeat the numerous
accounts that have been published of these historic haunts,
for there are few faunists who have not dwelt upon the
fortunes of the race of Ravens inhabiting the district of
which they treat, and the narratives of Gilbert White, Bishop
Stanley, Mr. Knox and other more recent writers are remembered
by all who have read them. In some few cases, protection
has been successfully obtained for these ancient
tenants by an influential neighbour; but too often, and
especially as superstition, within the last twenty or thirty
years, has gradually lost ground, the most deadly drugs have
been covertly laid by the shepherd or the gamekeeper, and
the ancestral seat rendered desolate. It used to be observed
that when one of the pair of birds was killed, the survivor
generally and quickly obtained a new mate, but since the
number of Ravens in England has now been so much reduced,
this happens more and more seldom, while still more
rarely does it at this day occur that should both birds be
killed their place is taken by a fresh pair. These remarks of
course refer chiefly to inland localities, for the rocky parts of
the coast are still fairly stocked, and there are yet districts
where not unfrequently- the practised ear will catch the hoarse