216 THE USEFUL BIRDS 



contains a valuable contribution to our knowledge of the 

 sagacity displayed by the Raven, and incidentally shows that 

 they are non-sensitive about the gastric region ; they seem to 

 be able to swallow a thing and throw it up again at pleasure. 

 " The Messrs. Cheriton, who reside at Mossgiel, New South 

 Wales, have a pet Raven and a Magpie. The Raven would 

 eat till it had enough, and then swallow more, retire, and with 

 a fixed purpose disgorge it in some hiding place. If, while it 

 was hiding the food the Magpie was seen to be watching, it 

 would immediately re-swallow it, and go to some other place. 

 It was noticed to do this when the Magpie was in close 

 attendance, and as the bird could find nowhere else to go, it 

 retired under the dress of a lady and deposited the food there. 

 On another day a flock of Ravens were being invited to sup 

 from a poisoned carcass. Having a secret watch put upon 

 them, one or two swallowed pieces, and were noticed to 

 quickly disgorge the strychnined morsels as if they knew 

 something was amiss. AVhether from taste, intuition, or 

 previous experience they did this I cannot say." 



If the Raven is an eater of dead matter, it is also predaceous 

 to a most useful extent, for it devours large numbers of the 

 Cicadae (so-called locusts), thereby lessening the now well- 

 known ravages of these insects at the roots of fruit trees. 

 Both Crow and Raven (as we term our so-called Crows) give 

 chase to the " seventeen-year-old insects." Having captured 

 one while on the wing, the bird settles upon a tree, holds it in 

 one set of claws, sucks the juices from the trunk of the 

 animal, and then drops it to the ground, still alive. This 

 warfare against the Cicada goes on at different parts of the 

 State during the spring season, and perhaps later. After a 

 bush fire they feed very largely on insects, half-roasted 

 quail, &c. 



In writing of the nesting of the Crow, Mr. Cameron sends 

 me the following note from the interior of New South Wales : 



