Winged Vermin Capture of the Raven. 429 



them with a sufficiency of food; and, besides being voracious, 

 the nestlings often endeavour to fly before they have their 

 feathers. Falling from the nest, and, being unable to 

 return, many a young corbie has to take its chance on 

 the ground till its feathers grow, often being captured, 

 and sometimes losing its life. In addition to the more 

 general name of raven, the bird is known as the Corbie, 

 the Corbie Crow, and the Great Corbie Crow. 



The food of the raven is, for the greater part, of an 

 animal nature, and its voracity is seldom equalled among 

 birds, for, in addition to every living thing which comes in 

 its way, it will include fruit, corn, &c., in its list of provender. 

 Nor does it fear to attack animals larger than itself, and 

 there is nothing which can be overcome by its strength or 

 wariness that is not liable to fall a victim to the corbie 

 crow's voracity. Lambs and the more feeble sheep suffer 

 chiefly from attack, while game of all sorts which may be 

 in the neighbourhood are as fish to the raven's net, the 

 eggs of grouse and the birds themselves receiving the 

 chief injury for which the game preserver has to seek the 

 capture and death of this bird. 



There are but few opportunities offered for its capture 

 by traps and snares, and we must depend for the most 

 part upon taking the young or eggs, on shooting the birds, or 

 on the employment of poisoned meat in such places as may 

 seem suitable. Upon the first mode but little need be said, 

 but upon shooting we may make a few remarks. The best 

 time to get at ravens is in summer, when the birds may 

 generally at mid-day be seen hovering round the highest 

 part of the moorland which they frequent, and a position 



