oon BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
This fine bird is unfortunately a most mischievous 
fellow, and that to more people than the gamekeeper, 
for lambs and even sheep often fall a prey to him. 
In the Shetland Islands, where Ravens are very 
numerous, even colts and ponies are often killed by 
them; the eye seems to be invariably the first place 
attacked. The destructive propensities of the Raven 
may be judged of from the following note in the 
‘ Zoologist,’ from the pen of Dr. Saxby, who, writing 
from Shetland, says as soon as the young Ravens 
require a supply of food, the parents become exces- 
sively mischievous: “ No uncovered egg will then be 
safe, and ducks, hens, lambs and foals will be 
mercilessly slaughtered. Even full-grown ponies 
will not be secure if they exhibit any signs of weak- 
ness. The first attack is always made upon one eye, 
and then, as the tortured animal endeavours to alle- 
viate the agony by rubbing the wound upon the 
ground, the other eye is pierced and the cruel bird 
flies off only to return when its victim is dead. A 
pony struggling to extricate itself from a peat-bog is 
almost certain to be destroyed by Ravens if it 
remain long unaided.” Besides what has been 
already mentioned, the food of the Raven consists 
of small animals, birds, reptiles, insects, grain, dead 
fish and carrion. 
With such destructive propensities as these, it is 
not to be wondered at that the Raven should be 
persecuted, and that in thickly inhabited and highly- 
