150 ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 



unknown in this part of West Sussex, until one 

 day in March, 1843, when riding in the park near 

 a clump of tall old beech trees, whose trunks had 

 been denuded by time of all their lower branches, 

 my attention was suddenly arrested by the never- 

 to-be-mistaken croak of a raven, and the loud 

 chattering of a flock of jackdaws. 



I soon perceived that these were the especial 

 objects of his hatred and hostility ; for after dash- 



the neighbourhood when the young were fledged, but 

 always returning in the ensuing spring. 



The head keeper, better acquainted, it would appear, 

 with the habits of birds than persons of his calling are apt 

 to be, afforded them every protection. He had discovered 

 that they were his best Mends. Not a hawk, weasel, or 

 indeed any winged or four-footed animal vulgarly desig- 

 nated "vermin," was suffered by the ravens to approach 

 the wood in which stood the tree containing the nest. 



Although pheasants and hares abounded in the imme- 

 diate vicinity, neither these nor their young were ever 

 molested by the ravens. Their foraging expeditions were 

 carried on at a distance, and their food consisted almost 

 entirely of the decomposed flesh of dead animals, or in 

 default of this of rats, and young rabbits procured at the 

 warrens among the Downs. 



This state of things was not to continue. In an evil 

 hour the nest was robbed. All the young ones were 

 taken. The old ravens disappeared, and have never since 

 returned to their former abode. 



