THE RAVEN. 267 



of the 'raven tree.' Many were the attempts of the neigh- 

 bouring youths to get at this eyrie; the difficulty whetted 

 their inclinations, and each was ambitious of surmounting 

 the arduous task; but, when they arrived at the swelling, it 

 jutted out so much in their way, and was so far beyond 

 their grasp, that the boldest lads were deterred, and acknow- 

 ledged the undertaking to be too hazardous. Thus the ravens 

 continued to build nest after nest, in perfect security, till the 

 fatal day arrived on which the wood was to be levelled. 

 This was in the month of February, when these birds usually 

 sit. The saw was applied to the trunk, the wedges were 

 inserted in the opening, the woods echoed to the heavy 

 blows of the beetle or mallet, the tree nodded to its fall; 

 but the dam persisted to sit. At last, when it gave way, the 

 bird was flung from her nest ; and though her maternal affec- 

 tion deserved a better fate, was whipped down by the twigs, 

 which brought her dead to the ground. " Ravens are said 

 to pair for life and to live for a hundred years. 

 Unnatural Though models of conjugal fidelity, Ravens 

 Parents. are sa i(j to be very unnatural parents, often 

 showing not only indifference but cruelty to their young. 

 Mr. Morris in his "Anecdotes of Natural History" tells an 

 interesting story of a family of ravens whose mother came 

 to an untimely death. "For a time the surviving parent 

 hovered about the nest, uttering loud and menacing croakings 

 whenever anybody approached. At length, however, he 

 disappeared, and absented himself for two or three days, 

 and then returned with another mate, when a strange scene 

 occurred. The poor half-starved nestlings were attacked 

 without mercy by the step-mother, who, after severely 

 wounding, precipitated them from the nest ; two, however, 

 were found at the foot of the tree with signs of life, and 

 with great care and attention reared at the rectory, about 

 half a mile distant, and after being slightly pinioned, were 

 allowed their liberty ; but they seldom quitted the lawn or 



