1?8 HISTORY OF 



similitude to the carrion-crow ; and thus a harm- 

 less bird, that feeds only upon insects and corn, 

 has been destroyed for another that feeds upon 

 carrion, and is often destructive among young 

 poultry. 



The manners of the raven and the carrion-crow 

 are exactly similar : they both feed upon carrion ; 

 they fly only in pairs ; and will destroy other birds, 

 if they can take them by surprise. But it is very 

 different with the rook, the daw, and the Cornish 

 chough, which may be all ranked in this order. 

 They are sociable and harmless ; they live only 

 upon insects and grain ; antj wherever they are, 

 instead of injuring other birds, they seem sentinels 

 for the whole feathered creation. It will be pro- 

 per, therefore, to describe these two sorts accord- 

 ing to their respective appetites, as they have 

 nothing in common but the very strong similitude 

 they bear to each other in their colour and forma- 

 tion. 



The raven is a bird found in every region of 

 the world : strong and hardy, he is uninfluenced 

 by the changes of the weather ; and when other 

 birds seem numbed with cold, or pining with fa- 

 mine, the raven is active and healthy, busily em- 

 ployed in prowling for prey, or sporting in the 

 coldest atmosphere. As the heats at the Line do 

 not oppress him, so he bears the cold of the polar 

 countries with equal indifference. He is some- 

 times indeed seen milk-white, and this may pro- 

 bably be the effect of the rigorous climates of the 

 north. It is most likely that this change is 

 wrought upon him as upon most other animals in 



