232 BRITAIN^S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 



rarer everjAvhere. Shepherds, game-preservers, and others 

 have had grievances to settle, and collectors have had 

 selfish desires to satisfy. But the Raven is both a 

 wary and a cunning bird, for the mental development 

 of birds probably reaches its highest level in this 

 species ; hence it has, by its wits, survived as yet the 

 persistent war of extermination. 



It is indeed less rare than is often supposed. The 

 rocky headlands of the south and west coasts of England 

 and Wales still harbour many pairs. The Welsh hills 

 and the northern moors have their quota yet, and 

 elsewhere inland it is not altogether unknown as a tree- 

 nester. On the coasts and mountains of Ireland a 

 considerable remnant still exists, and in some favoured 

 glens of the Scottish mountains, on the precipices of the 

 Shetland voes, and on some of the Hebridean cliffs, it is 

 almost common. 



The Raven is the type of the Crows, which form a 

 very uncharacteristic family of the Passeres. Such large 

 size and predatory habits are unusual in the Order, and 

 the Crows, moreover, belong to the small songless section. 

 But the perching feet are present, and there are many 

 real structural affinities. Similarities in habit even are 

 not altogether wanting, and we shall find little unusual 

 in their nesting habits if we make certain allowances. 



As already indicated, the Raven nests either on cliffs, 

 mountain or maritime, or on trees ; but the latter 

 situation is now rarely resorted to in these islands. If 

 there is an inaccessible ledge on a cliff the Raven will 

 find it, and those who know the bird well tell us that 

 it seems to have an eye for the possibilities of a site ; 

 in contrast to the Peregrine Falcon, for instance, which 

 shows little capacity for choosing a site which may bid 

 defiance to human climbing powers. 



