RAVEN 263 



Pigeon, that approaches the nest. At this period and earlier 

 in the year his actions are worthy of study. Until his 

 partner takes to her task, he never leaves her, but follows 

 her every course — now near now further off — and occasionally 

 approaching very close to her, turns over sideways on his 

 back as he flies, shooting in that position in front of or past 

 her, and, uttering a sonorous yet tender note, then resumes 

 his natural attitude of flight. The wants of the nestlings 

 are assiduously supplied by their parents, and for some few 

 weeks after the offspring are flown the whole family remains 

 in company ; but, when fully able to provide for themselves, 

 the youug birds are invariably driven from the home in which 

 they have been reared and forced to seek a new abode or to 

 become wanderers. 



Though possessed of great power as well as courage, 

 Ravens seldom make any other attempt to defend their nest 

 against man than a show of resistance, and indeed they 

 have in general every reason to shun so deadly an enemy as 

 he often proves to be. Yet in the exceptional cases where 

 they have no experience of molestation they become bold 

 beyond most kinds of birds. 



Northward in Europe the Raven is plentiful in the Faroes 

 and Iceland, especially near the fishing-stations, where it 

 gets a good living from the offal by which they are surrounded ; 

 but in the former its abundance is checked by a somewhat 

 heavy tax (Ncebbetold) laid upon the people of the different 

 districts, and only to be redeemed by the production of a 

 fixed number of its beaks— its depredations on the useful 

 Sea-fowls which breed on the cliffs of those islands being the 

 chief cause of this peculiar fiscal law. In Norway and 

 Sweden, even to the extreme north, it is also pretty com- 

 mon, mostly along the coasts, but also inhabiting the wilder 

 parts of the interior. In Spitsbergen it is said to have been 

 seen only once (Ibis, 1875, p. 272). It ranges over the 

 whole of the Russian dominions to Saghalicn, but seems to 

 be replaced in China and Japan by one or more forms of a 

 bird (Corvus japonensis) concerning which doubts are enter- 

 tained whether it should not be rather reckoned a Crow. 



VOL. II. M M 



