186 RAVENS. 



former abodes, but can, like dogs and various other quad- 

 rupeds, and even turtles, as we have before remarked, find 

 their way by some unknown faculty to places from which 

 they have been removed. A few years ago a gentleman, 

 near Chapel-le-Frith, in Derbyshire, took a young Kaven from 

 its nest, and kept it in an out-building for some months ; 

 its wings were then clipped, and it was allowed to go at 

 large. It soon became well known for a mile round, regularly 

 visiting every farm-house within that distance whenever a 

 pig was killed, when it was always rewarded with some tit- 

 bits. Soon after the death of its owner, about three years 

 ago, the Kaven was given to a surgeon, resident in Stock- 

 port, Cheshire, who kept it chained by the leg for about 

 twelve months ; he then gave it its liberty, and as before, it 

 wandered about near home, but not with the same success, 

 for its thigh was one day broken by some idle, thoughtless 

 boys, who threw stones at it. The fracture was reduced, the 

 Raven recovered, and then again took to rambling about for 

 a few weeks, when it disappeared altogether, and was sup- 

 posed to have met with an untimely end ; when, about a 

 fortnight after it had been missed, the news arrived of its 

 safe return to its old residence at Chapel-le-Frith, distant 

 fourteen miles, where it was allowed to remain, and where 

 it still lives. 



A writer in the Naturalist's Magazine says that he re- 



ij j 



members, about fourteen years ago, seeing on a post near the 

 Elephant and Castle inn, at which such a multitude of 

 coaches stop, an inscription on " Ralph," a Raven of great 

 celebrity, who had been in his days a distinguished member 

 of the Elephant and Castle establishment. Those who re- 

 collected him gave several instances of his sagacity, amongst 

 others, that of his knowledge of, and intimacy with, several 

 of the coachmen ; with his particular favourites and friends 

 he would frequently take short jaunts out on the coach top, 

 until he met some other coach, whose driver he also knew, 

 passing in a homeward direction, when he would imme- 

 diately change coaches and return. 



A still more curious anecdote of attachment and observa- 



