SKIRMISH. 153 



some food in his beak, satisfied himself on this oc- 

 casion with two or three swoops into the terrified 

 crowd, and having routed the mob he approached 

 the tree in which his nest was placed. 



Before arriving there, however, he evidently 

 became aware of my presence, and dropping his 

 prey, which proved to be a rat, he ascended into 

 the air to a great height, in circular gyrations, 

 after the manner of a falcon, where he was soon 

 joined by his consort, and the two birds continued 

 to soar above my head while I remained there, 

 uttering not only their usual hoarse croak, but 

 also an extraordinary sound resembling the ex- 

 clamation "Oh !" loudly and clearly ejaculated. 

 At first I could scarcely persuade myself that it 

 proceeded from the throat of either of the ravens, 

 but my doubts were soon dispelled, for there was 

 no human being within sight, and after carefully 

 examining one of the birds for some time with my 

 glass, I observed that each note was preceded by 

 an opening of the beak, the distance, of course, 

 preventing sight and sound from being exactly 

 simultaneous. 



In the following year the beech grove was de- 

 serted for the fir clump. I shall never forget my 

 delight on discovering their new retreat near the 

 tower hill during the spring of 1844. It could be 



H 5 



