The Brown Owl.] OF ORKNEY. 45 



magde-howlet,it maybe considered everywhere as one of these 

 creatures that nature has, in some measure, tamed, and giv 7 en 

 to man to be domesticated, for its retreats are so near him 

 that a little familiarity, I imagine, would render this creature, 

 who in a manner offers its services to mankind, almost as useful 

 as its kind red cat, and not a bit more mischievous than the great- 

 er part of these but half- tamed and ever suspicious domestics. 

 There are none of the butcher kind in Orkney that ever I 

 could find 



ORDER II. PIES. 

 GENUS HI. CROWS. 



Gen. Char.- Bill strong ; upper mandible 3 little convex ; edges cultrated ; nos- 

 trils covered with bristles reflected over them; tongue divided at the end; 

 toes three forward, one backward ; the middle joined to the outmost as far as 

 the first joint. 



Species 1. The Raven. 



Will. Orn. 121. Raii Syn. Av. 39. Corvus Corax, Lin. Sys. 155. Brit.Zool. 

 166. Corvus, the Raven : Nostralibus, the Corbie, Sib. Scot. 15. Ore. 

 Corby. 



IN the winter and spring vast flocks of corbies are seen here, 

 but are very wild ; when breeding-time draws near they grow 



