RAVEN. 227 



The food of the Raven varies at different 

 seasons ; grains form but a small portion, though 

 they are sometimes eaten ; * insects, and their 

 larvae, as they occur, may be occasionally pre3red 

 on, but they by no means form so general a por- 

 tion of food as they do among the lesser species 

 of Crows. The small mammalia are preyed on, 

 and in spring, when all creatures are producing 

 their offspring, the eggs of birds, and the young 

 of animals are sought after and devoured ; and it 

 is this carnivorous propensity which has caused 

 to them so much persecution from the shepherd. 

 They are undoubtedly very destructive both to 

 the newly dropt lambs, and to weak sheep, and 

 the extensive range of a pastoral farm renders 

 watching or attention quite impossible ; but from 

 this loss suffered by the tenant, must be subtracted 

 the advantages derived from the check which they 

 keep upon many of the smaller members of the 

 animal kingdom, which, unless to a certain extent 

 kept down, might, and on some occasions have, 

 become extremely troublesome; for in all our 

 reasonings on the harm or advantages produced 

 to man by various creatures, we are much too 

 apt to look only at the question in immediate 

 consideration, without at all examining its con- 

 sequences on some other portion of living beings, 

 or on the productions of the vegetable world. It 

 is, however, from its depredations on the young 

 lambs, that its persecution is chiefly carried on, 

 and in many parts very considerable rewards 

 * Hey sham, &c. 



