128 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 
which at the time contained young ones; one of the 
parent birds flew out of the hole, which it had just pre- 
viously entered, and was rapidly departing for a fresh 
supply of food, when it suddenly deviated from its course 
and seized a large insect which was flying near, and then 
darted on one side and captured another. I was within 
four or five yards at the time, and had a distinct view 
of what was to me then a novel proceeding, but I have 
since observed it several times, and particularly so on 
the 20th of May, 1856, when I saw a number of them 
hawking for flies in the manner of the swallows. In 
this case it was no momentary impulse that prompted 
the habit, as in the first instance, but they were steadily 
making a business of it, and continued thus employed 
for some time. | . 
They are staunch friends of the farmer, and consume 
an immense number of grubs and slugs, and in their 
search for these I have seen them literally blacken the 
pastures with their numbers. 
The Raven (Corvus corax) is but a straggler in this 
part of the country. I have not known of more than 
two instances of its occurrence, a fact which I have been 
rather surprised at. Its predaceous character makes it 
many enemies, and I have never known it to nest with 
us. I have the evidence of old residents that it used to 
be comparatively frequent in the district, but it is very 
rare now. 
Many years ago the landlord of the Black Bull Inn, 
at Mansfield, had a tame raven in his stable-yard. I 
always frequented this inn when I had occasion to go to 
Mansfield, and whenever I drove or rode into the yard, 
Tom, the raven, was sure to be about; and if the ostler 
was not in sight, he invariably called out with a hoarse 
