257 



CHAP. XXIII. 



THE KATEX. — ^'EST BTTILT IN OAK. — ITS HABITS. — IIEXTIOXED IX 

 SCraPTUKE. 



" The Eaven Lersolf is hoarse, 



That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan 

 Under my battlements." — Macbeth. 



The raven weighs three pounds, and is about two feet 

 two inches in length. The colour is black, finely glossed 

 with a rich blue, the belly excepted, which is of a dusky 

 colour. They are very docile, and may be trained to 

 fowling like hawks, to fetch and carry like spaniels, to 

 speak like parrots, and may even be taught to imitate in 

 a great degree the human voice in singing. They have 

 a great propensity to pilfer like the magpie, often hiding 

 things of value. The}^ frequent the neighbourhood of 

 great towns abroad, where they are useful in devouring 

 the carcases and filth, which would otherwise prove a 

 nuisance. They also destroy many living animals, such 

 as rabbits, ducks, chickens, and even lambs, which have 

 been dropped in a weak state. 



In clear weather they fly in pairs to a great height, 

 making a deep loud noise, much stronger than the com- 

 mon croaking. Their scent is remarkably good, and they 

 are very long lived. They make their nests early in 

 sj^ring, laying five or six eggs of a pale bluish colour, 

 spotted with brown. With us they build in trees, but in 



