RAVENS. 201 



shelter in holes amongst the rocks, where its back can 

 be protected. 



The Puffin acts rather in self-defence, for the Raven 

 is the aggressor, attacking the Puffins for the purpose of 

 eating their eggs, of which the Ravens are remarkably 

 fond ; in this case a desperate fight ensues ; for the Raven 

 usually takes an opportunity of committing the theft 

 when the Puffins are at sea in search of food, and he can 

 without opposition enter the holes or burrows in which 

 the Puffins breed; but should the latter catch the robber 

 in the hole on returning, it darts its claws into its breast, 

 seizes him by the neck with its strong razor-formed bill, 

 and as soon as they issue from the hole, struggling with 

 each other, the Raven endeavours to ascend to the land, 

 while the Puffin, on the contrary, does its best to descend 

 to the water; and if it succeeds, it becomes for the most 

 part the conqueror, for when the Raven's feathers get 

 soaked, he can no longer defend himself, and perishes. 



Young Ravens, it is well known, may be easily tamed ; 

 but they are so cunning and mischievous, that it is 

 necessary for those who harbour them to keep a constant 

 watch on their motions, for they will catch up anything 

 that is glittering, and carry it off to some secret hiding- 

 place. Stories without end might be told of their 

 thieving propensities. Let one suffice: a gentleman's 

 butler having missed a great many silver spoons and other 

 articles, without a suspicion as to who might be the thief, 

 at last observed a tame Raven with one in his mouth, 

 and watching him to his hiding-place, discovered more 

 than a dozen. But pilferers as they are, and inclined to 

 mischief, they have redeeming good qualities, which often 

 make them deservedly great favourites, and they may 

 be sometimes trained for useful purposes. 



Thus the landlord of an inn, in Cambridgeshire, was 

 in possession of a Raven which frequently went hunting 

 with a dog that had been bred up with him. On their 

 arrival at a cover the dog entered, and drove the hares 

 arid rabbits from the thicket, whilst the Raven, posted 



