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CHAPTER IX. 



Ravens occasionally desert their Young. Predacious Habits. 

 Sagacity. Various Anecdotes. Crows and Rooks. Charac- 

 ters of each. Tame Crow. Meetings, or Councils, of Crows, 

 Herons, Magpies, etc. Whether Rooks are beneficial or 

 injurious to the Farmer. Hard Winters favourable to Insects. 

 Rookeries. Red-legged Crow. Jackdaws. Jays and Mag- 

 pies. 



rPO a superficial observer of nature, there may appear a 

 much greater resemblance and connexion between the 

 Raven, the Crow, the Rook, and Jackdaw, than we find from 

 experience to be the case. At the same time, so different in 

 outward appearance are the Jay and Magpie, that it may 

 appear contrary to all rule to class them together under one 

 head but while there is a decided mark of separation be- 

 tween each and all of them in many respects, they never- 

 theless are by naturalists included in the first section of what 

 is called the genus or family of Crows. The Raven, however, 

 from his size and character, naturally takes the lead. Go 

 where we will over the face of the wide world, and the well- 

 known hoarse croak of the Raven is still to be heard. He 

 was seen perched on the bare rocks, looking over the dreary 

 snows of the highest points visited in the Arctic Expeditions. 

 Under the burning sun of the Equator he enjoys his feast of 

 carrion. He was discovered in the islands of the Pacific 

 Ocean by Captain Cook ; and in the lowest southern or 

 antarctic regions, other travellers have found him pursuing 

 his cautious predatory life, just as in England. 



With us he may be called the herald of the year ; for, as 

 early as the latter end of January, if. the weather be mild, or 

 at all events in the beginning of February, some faithful pair 

 (for the union of the male and female is for life)* may be seen 

 looking into the state of their nursery-tenement, usually con- 

 structed on the upper and most inaccessible branching fork 

 of some high tree, where they have been known to build 



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