ii6 WOODLAND, MOOR, AND STREAM 



off his guard, nor will it be safe for any one but his 

 owner to attempt to stroke his plumage. That 

 pickaxe of a bill can give a blow not soon forgotten. 

 The worst of keeping a raven as a pet is and the 

 same thing applies to crows, rooks, and jackdaws 

 when in a state of captivity he will carry off and 

 hide away any article that takes his fancy. Other 

 birds and animals will hide their surplus food, and 

 nothing more ; but the raven secures anything that 

 takes his fancy, a watch and chain, a pocket-knife, 

 a silver spoon, or a hymn-book ; and he will plan out 

 the job some time before he attempts to execute it. 

 In nine cases out of ten he manages to carry it out 

 successfully. I once saw a raven's curiosity-shop 

 overhauled. It was in a large heap of garden refuse ; 

 the bird stood watching them turn it out ; after there 

 had been long and vain dodging of his wily move- 

 ments, and as one article after another was brought 

 to light, he made several most determined attempts 

 to recover what he evidently considered his individual 

 property. Being foiled, he ' cut up rough,' to say the 

 least of it, and refused comfort of all kinds. Day 

 after day they found him hopping round his beloved 

 hiding-place, croaking like a feathered demon. I am 

 not prepared to give any opinion as to the harm the 

 raven may be supposed to do by some people I can 



