256 THE HUNTER'S ARCADIA. 



claim to be placed by naturalists in the rotation 

 in which the order Mammalia is classified, close 

 in proximity to man. The rock rabbits, too, 

 have disappeared, but their retreat has not been 

 disgraced by such precipitancy or apparent disregard 

 for the safety of their comrades. Previously not a 

 bird had been in sight ; now numerous hawks and 

 carrion feeders are sailing aloft on broad, expanded 

 pinions, inspecting with inquisitive eye the intruder 

 into the privacy of their domain, while lower down, 

 and closer to earth's surface, numerous black and 

 white ravens, very clerical in appearance and very 

 fond of meddling in affairs that don't concern them, 

 hurry out of range, cawing incessantly a warning to 

 the inferior animal creation that they had better be 

 on the look-out, as the most dreaded and most 

 destructive of all animals man is in their vicinity. 

 I could forgive these ravens, for their intentions 

 doubtless are good, still would prefer that they 

 took some other means of showing them. 



