112 BRITISH LAND BIRDS, 



soothsayers, who pretended to learn from them the 

 secrets of futurity. The raven is a very hardy, 

 crafty, and wary bird. It is exceedingly vora- 

 cious, and seems to be a sort of glutton in its 

 propensities, gorging itself with carrion, which it 

 scents out with great readiness, probably having 

 the sense of smell as well as of sight, in surprising 

 perfection. This disposition renders it useful as a 

 scavenger ; but as it destroys young animals it is 

 the detestation of the husbandman. 



It is very easily domesticated, and, if pains be 

 taken to teach it, can learn to do many amusing 

 things. A raven, we are informed by the his- 

 torian Pliny, that had been kept in the temple of 

 Castor, flew down into the shop of a tailor, who 

 was highly delighted with its visits, and taught 

 the bird several tricks ; and also to pronounce the 

 names of the Emperor Tiberius and the royal 

 family. The tailor was beginning to grow rich 

 by the numbers of those who came to see this 

 wonderful bird ; till an envious neighbour, dis- 

 pleased at his success, killed the creature. The 

 Romans took the poor tailor's part, punished the 

 man who killed it and gave to the raven all the 

 honours of a magnificent interment. 



The raven with us may be- called the herald of 

 the year. It makes its nest early in the spring ; 

 usually building on the top of some high tree, re- 



