RAVEN. 511 



Selkirk shires, are mostly bred about the head of Moffat water, 

 especially on the three farms of Chapelgill, Chanfren, and Pol- 

 moody. There, on the face of tremendous linns and rocks, 

 there often juts out a dwarfish birch or mountain-ash. The 

 same cleft of the same tree has borne a Raven's nest for cen- 

 turies. No human creature can get at them. It is with diffi- 

 culty the shepherd can break their eggs at a distance ; but 

 some young are always reared every year. They manifest a 

 great hatred to the Eagle. Often have I seen, in a serene 

 summer evening, when the noble bird set out, in her spiral 

 course, for the higher tracks of the atmosphere — often have I 

 seen her attacked by the Raven ; but the Eagle does not mind 

 her much, and all that she does when the crow comes near 

 her, is to throw herself on her side, still keeping her wings ex- 

 tended, give two or three sharp wheeks^ and then proceed on her 

 journey. She soon reaches the height to which the Raven 

 goes, who then leaves her, returns, and with great diligence 

 reconnoitres the glens and mosses in search of plunder. Toward 

 the Goshawk and Fox the Raven also shews great antipathy, 

 diving through the air, and croaking in a furious manner. The 

 Fox, if not hurried, will stand still, look up as if he would say, 

 ' I value you not,"* and then pass on ; but the Goshawk * is 

 not so passive, for though he suffers him a while, he becomes 

 enraged at his clamour and repeated attacks, and turns to meet 

 him, when the Raven utters a hurried gorhel^ and leaves him 

 abruptly. I once heard a man, whose veracity I had no reason 

 to doubt, relate how when the Raven was diving at the Gos- 

 hawk, as above related, the latter came in contact with him 

 in the air. The Raven fell dead to the ground, and when the 

 man went up and lifted him, his throat was found to be torn 

 open, as if with a knife. I apprehend that all this malevolence 

 proceeds from the circumstance that these creatures feed on the 

 same garbage with the Raven (for the Goshawk also, as well 

 as the Eagle, will eat of a sheep when newly dead), who is 

 often forced away, or kept at a distance, till these more power- 

 ful plunderers are satisfied. The Raven also plunders the nests 



* The bird to which Mr. Hogg here gives the name of Goshawk, is the Pere- 

 grine Falcon. 



