46 NATURAL HISTORY ^ [Birds. 



much thinner, many of them, I suppose, going off to other 

 countries to breed. However, many continue here the whole 

 year, as the country people, who live in the more hilly parts, 

 daily experience to their loss ; for in the time of hatching, 

 and when the young flight are out, the parents become very 

 impudent and voracious ; then lambs, pigs, and chickens are 

 destroyed in numbers ; and though the corby has not strength 

 to carry away a lamb or pig, yet it tears out their eyes, en- 

 trails, and what it can manage. 



The bill and claws of this bird are very strong, the latter 

 much hooked. The colour is black, with a fine gloss ; the 

 legs black, as are all the larger feathers ; the belly dusky. 



The quill-feathers make excellent writing-pens, are very 

 strong and elastic, and last long. 



In hard Avinters the raven comes nearer the towns than 

 usual for such a shy bird ; then he is frequently seen by the 

 shores, and even within a stone's-throw of the houses of Strom- 

 ness, picking up what garbage, &c. he can find, but retires 

 from us at the return of spring, and betakes himself to the 

 precipices of the hills and rocks, and sometimes to the steeples 

 of the churches, or any ruined building, and there he makes 

 his summer's retreat, levying contributions on all around ; far 

 from so generous in this respect as our country-folks say of 

 the eagle, who (ihey lell us) takes but a hen from every 

 house of the parish, and none* from those in the neighbour- 

 hood of his royal nest. 



* Vide tit. Erne ; the note and quotation from Thomson. 



