152 ORNITHOLOGICAL EAMBLES. 



ing into the midst of them, and executing several 

 rapid movements in the air, he succeeded in effec- 

 tually driving them to a considerable distance 

 from his nest. During this manoeuvre the supe- 

 rior size of the raven became more apparent than 

 when viewed alone, and his power of flight was 

 advantageously exhibited by comparison with 

 that of his smaller congener. The latter, indeed, 

 seemed to bear about the same relation to him in 

 point of size that starlings do to rooks when seen 

 tog-ether. 



The ravens' nest was placed in a fork on the 

 very summit of one of the highest of these trees, 

 while their hollow trunks were tenanted by a 

 numerous colony of jackdaws. Some of the holes 

 through which these entered were so near the 

 ground, that I had no difficulty in reaching them 

 when on horseback, while others were situated at 

 a much greater height. These conducted to the 

 chambers in which the nests were placed, and 

 which were generally fur removed from the ex- 

 ternal aperture by which the birds entered their 

 tower-like habitation. 



On thrusting my whip upwards into many of 

 these passages, I found it impossible to touch the 

 further extremity, while a few cavities of smaller 

 dimensions were within reach of my hand, and 

 contained nests constructed of short, dry sticks, 



