THE RAVEN 15 



its frequent passages of arms with the hawk tribe. Though it has 

 been seen to pursue an eagle, the latter twisting and turning to elude 

 the attack, it has also been known on various occasions to shrink 

 away from the onslaught of the much less formidable peregrine, even 

 to crouching in fear upon the ground when no cover was available. 

 The courage displayed by birds is, in fact, largely a matter of circum- 

 stance. The same raven may at one time be a hero and at another 

 a dastard, its attitude depending on whether it has or not some 

 imperative motive for fighting. Even 



. . . " the poor wren, 

 The most diminutive of birds, will fight, 

 Her young ones in her nest, against the owl." 1 



The boldness displayed no doubt also depends upon individual char- 

 acter, a factor that plays a more important part in animal life than is 

 perhaps even yet fully realised, and of which abundant examples will be 

 given in this work. It is well illustrated by the varying tactics of 

 ravens when their nearly fledged young are taken from the nest, some 

 descending upon the spoiler with fierce barks and ruffled plumage, 

 occasionally approaching near enough to strike or nearly strike him 

 with their wings, others being content to keep at a distance more or 

 less great, and to " bellow for revenge," or, as Macgillivray phrases it 

 less poetically, but no doubt more accurately, to " utter a stifled 

 croak." Some even descend to displays of cork-drawing. 



The raven has another outlet for its feelings, when its young or 

 eggs are approached, that is worth notice. This is its habit of tearing 

 up the grass and heather, or driving its strong beak into branches and 

 scattering the splinters in its rage or despair. The habit is not peculiar 

 to the species. Much the same is done by other birds, the jay, for 

 instance, and the magpie. Mr. W. H. Hudson has also noted it in the 

 case of the squirrel. As he puts it in his Hampshire Days, that is the 

 way the little pot boils over. Throwing things about is, in fact, a form 

 of boiling over that is not confined to birds and beasts. 



1 Macbeth, iv. 2. 



