PERCHING BIRDS. 113 



maining constant to the place once chosen, and 

 continuing for a series of years to build there; 

 the same faithful pair returning season after 

 season, and rearing their young broods with the 

 most persevering attachment. Though one of the 

 shyest and most suspicious of birds, the raven has 

 been known to die rather than forsake its post ; 

 and a very striking and well authenticated in- 

 stance is given by Mr. White, the naturalist of 

 Selborne, who tells how the fond mother raven 

 sat on her nest while the tree she had inhabited, 

 time immemorial, was being felled by the wood- 

 man's axe ; and how, when it gave way, the 

 faithful bird was flung from her place and fell 

 dead to the ground. 



Numerous anecdotes of tame ravens are on 

 record. Tn the " Zoologist," for 1851, the follow- 

 ing is given: " When out shooting a few days 

 since, I observed an old man, apparently in con- 

 versation with some other person. On reaching 

 him, I found he had been talking with Mr. Crother's 

 raven, which was perched on an elm tree near 

 him, keeping crows from a wheat-field. I called 

 to the bird by name ' Tail,' and he immediately 

 answered 4 Halloo !' in a very deep and hoarse 

 tone. This was about a mile from the house. A 

 few days after I heard that poor Taff would never 

 keep crows again ; having been killed by a grey- 



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