180 RAVENS. 



beyond the memory of the most ancient chronicler of the 

 parish. Probably most of our readers have, if not within 

 their own precincts, at least within their knowledge, a vener- 

 able establishment of this description. Ours is a noble beech, 

 about ninety feet in height, in the centre of a beautiful wood, 

 from time immemorial called the Raven tree. At one 

 extremity of this wood, a noisy troop of Jackdaws have long 

 been accustomed to rear their progeny unmolested, provided 

 they venture not too near the sacred tree of the Ravens, 

 in which case, one or other of the old birds dashes upon the 

 intruder, and the wood is in an uproar, till the incautious 

 bird is driven off. Few have dared to scale the height of 

 this famed tree ; but the names of one or two individuals are 

 on record, who have accomplished the perilous undertaking, 

 and carried off the contents of the nest. 



Some years ago the wife of a neighbouring farmer made 

 such loud complaints, on the diminution of a fine brood of 

 young Turkeys, which occasionally wandered from her farm- 

 yard into some fields adjacent to the wood, that one of the 

 old ones was shot : it proved to be the female, whose young 

 ones had unfortunately been hatched, and were then nearly 

 fledged. For a time, the surviving parent hovered about the 

 nest, uttering loud and menacing croakings whenever any- 

 body approached. At length, however, he disappeared, and 

 absented himself for two or three days, and then returned 

 with another mate ; when a strange scene occurred. The 

 poor half- starved nestlings were attacked without mercy by 

 the stepmother ; who, after severely wounding, precipitated 

 them from the nest ; two, however, were found at the foot of 

 the tree with signs of life, and with great care and attention 

 reared at the Rectory, about half a mile distant, and after 

 being slightly pinioned, were allowed their liberty ; but they 

 seldom quitted the lawn or offices, roosting in a tree in the 

 shrubbery. Here, however, they were soon discovered by 

 their unnatural parents, who, for a long time, used to come 

 at early dawn and pounce upon them with fierce cries. This 

 antipathy to their young (which by several authors has been 

 considered as peculiar to Ravens) has been remarked by 



