186 RA VENS. 



that had it not been opened, in another hour Ralph would 

 have made his own entrance. The landlord not only confirmed 

 the ostler's account, but mentioned many other acts of kind- 

 ness, shown by this bird to all dogs in general, but more 

 particularly to maimed or wounded ones." 



But, however attentive they may be to dogs, as in this case, 

 or to men, as in the preceding one, the following instance of 

 shrewd cunning shows that they are ready enough, when it 

 suits their interest, to trick each other. At the Zoological 

 Gardens, in the Regent's Park, London, two Ravens were 

 kept in one large cage or pen ; a visitor passing by, threw 

 them two pieces of bun, when one of them immediately 

 jumped from his perch, and before his comrade could reach 

 either of them, he had both secure in his beak, and had 

 regained his former position on the perch, holding them until 

 he saw his comrade at the further end of the cage ; he then 

 flew down, buried one of the pieces, which he carefully covered 

 with gravel, and jumping back to his perch with the other 

 piece, devoured it. He then hopped down for the other piece, 

 and regaining his perch a second time, consumed that, much 

 to the annoyance of his companion, whom he thus artfully 

 and cleverly contrived to outwit. 



No wonder that so knowing a bird, gifted, at the same time, 

 with a voice so deep and solemn as to command attention 

 whenever it is heard, should, in all ages, have impressed 

 superstitious people with a notion that it had something un- 

 earthly in its nature; and in heathen countries especially, 

 should have been respected by the ignorant as interpreters of 

 the will of their idol gods. Thus, in the remotest periods of 

 antiquity, the Raven was consecrated to Apollo, one of their 

 chief deities, and by the priests and people was therefore 

 considered as a foreteller of good or evil. Through a long 

 course of centuries it has borne the same character, and even 

 to this day there are not a few who believe that 



" Ravens give the note of death, 

 As through raid-air they wing their way." 



It is most probable that their supposed prophetic powers, 

 respecting battles and bloodshed, originated in their very 



