271 NATURAL HISTORY. 



kinds, such as dead sheep or lambs, whose death the Raven is 

 accused with some justice of hastening, and on fishes or ceta- 

 ceous animals which have been cast on shore by the waves. 

 In these cases the Raven conducts itself much in the manner of 

 the vulture. It commences by taking out the eye and tongue, 

 and then proceeds to tear open the abdomen, operations for 

 which its sharp and powerful bill seems quite as w r ell fitted as 

 the hooked beak of the rapacious birds. It is a very crafty 

 bird, and can with difficulty be approached, but by laying 

 a dead carcase near its haunts, and being carefully concealed, 

 it may be seen cautiously approaching ; first perching on an 

 eminence, it looks carefully round ; then, advancing with a 

 sidelong step, it examines its expected prey. When fully 

 satisfied, it pecks out the eyes and proceeds to satiate itself 

 with food. The Raven seems to fear no stoims, and to be 

 deterred by no inclemency of weather frcm seeking its prey. 

 Although formerly so plentiful in England that innumerable 

 omens were drawn from its croaking, flight, &c., it has almost 

 become extinct, much to the discomfiture of omen seekers. 

 No incantation and no dance of witches seemed to be considered 

 complete, without a black cat, a toad or two, a bat and a 

 raven. Certainly the extraordinary gravity which marks the 

 demeanour of the Raven has something almost preternatural 

 in it. The manner in which he sets about a piece of mischief, 

 as if he considered it a moral duty, is most absurd, and the 

 pertinacity with which he prosecutes a great work, such as the 

 feat of Charles Dickens's raven, who "new pointed the greater 

 part of the garden wall, by digging out the mortar, and tore 

 up and swallowed in splinters the greater part of a wooden 

 staircase of six steps and a landing," is perfectly astounding.* 



It has a great capacity for imitating sounds, and can be 

 taught to pronounce whole sentences, or sings songs with won- 

 derful accuracy. 



In the northern parts of Scotland it makes its nest on high 

 rocks, but not unfrequently builds on the summit of a tall 

 tree. The nest is a large irregular structure of heath, grass, 



* A raven in our possession used to watch the gardener taking particular pains to 

 prop up and secure a valuable plant. His labour was always in vain, for the raven, 

 with a sidelong step and an unconcerned air, as if he were thinking of anything but 

 the plant, would sidle by it, when one wrench of his iron bill laid the unfortunate 

 plant on the earth, and the raven moved off with a most provoking air of innocence. 



