STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 



When the raven is searching for food, he walks along the ground in the 

 same way as the crow; but when alarmed or excited, he leaps and jumps, using 

 the wings as well as the feet. 



He flies in a steady manner, and rises very high in the air, so as some- 

 times to overtake the hawk, or even the eagle, as he soars along high over 

 the mountain tops, in stormy weather, when no other bird ventures abroad. 



People have even called the raven " the tempest-loving raven," but 

 without much truth. No doubt he has scented prey at a distance, and no 

 weather, however bad, can then keep him at home. 



When he comes in sight of his prey, he alights on some stone or wall, 

 folds up his wings, and gives an expressive croak. Then he comes a little 

 nearer, for he is too solemn and dignified to do anything in a hurry. 



He steadfastly regards his prey, looking very much as you see him in the 

 picture. Then he leaps upon it, and begins to examine it carefully. Satisfied 

 that all is right, he gives another croak to express his pleasure, and begins at 

 once the feast. By this time another raven is sure to have come up, and 

 by-and-by a gull swoops down as if asking for a share. 



Before the feast is over, it often happens that the royal eagle, the king of 

 the birds, makes his appearance, and then the revellers give way a little. 

 They retire to a short distance — the ravens standing still and solemn, and 

 waiting with dignified patience ; the gulls walking backwards and forwards in 

 a restless manner, and uttering peevish cries, as if angry at the interruption^ 

 yet not daring to prevent it. 



If, however, the prey is large enough, a mutual feeling seems to prevail 

 that there will be something to spare for them all, and ravens, gulls, and eagle 

 will feed quietly side by side. 



It is very curious how the ravens, as we said before, seem to spring up by 

 magic. In parts of the world where they do not live, if an animal dies, or a 

 fish is cast on shore, all at once, and without the least warning, there steps 

 solemnly in the raven ; then comes another, and so on, till very soon the 

 beach or the field is black with them. 



The raven builds her nest in places where no one can reach it — on some 

 tree that juts out over the face of the rock; and sometimes the nest is close by 

 that of the eagle, in which case the king of the birds does not seem inclined 

 to be, on the whole, a troublesome neighbour ; but when now and then little 

 ski'-riishes do take place, the fault is generally on the side of the raven. 



