THE RAVEN. 171 



settled the remaining little ones, fed them with the 

 usual attentions, and finally succeeded in rearing 

 them. The parents of even this reduced family 

 laboured with great perseverance to supply its 

 wants, one or the other of them bringing a grub, 

 caterpillar, or some insect, at intervals of less than 

 a minute through the day, and probably in the 

 earlier part of the morning more frequently : but 

 if we allow that they brought food to the hole every 

 minute for fourteen hours, and provided for their 

 own wants also, it will admit of perhaps a thousand 

 grubs a day for the requirements of one, and that a 

 diminished brood ; and give us some comprehension 

 of the infinite number requisite for the summer nu- 

 triment of our soft-billed birds, and the great dis- 

 tances gone over by such as have young ones, in 

 their numerous trips from hedge to tree in the hours 

 specified j when they have full broods to support. 

 A climate of moisture and temperature like ours is 

 peculiarly favourable for the production of insect 

 food, which would in some seasons be particularly 

 injurious, were we not visited by such numbers of 

 active little friends to consume it. 



The raven (corvus corax) does not build with us. 

 A pair, indeed, attempted to raise a brood in our 

 wych-elm ; but they love retirement and quiet, and 

 were soon scared away, and made no second trial. 

 Ravens visit us, however, frequently, and always 

 during the lambing season, watching for any weak 

 and deserted creature, which, when perceived, is 

 instantly deprived of its eyes ; but they make no 



