128 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 



which at the time contained young ones ; one of the 

 parent birds flew out of the hole, which it had just pre- 

 viously entered, and was rapidly departing for a fresh 

 supply of food, when it suddenly deviated from its course 

 and seized a large insect which was flying near, and then 

 darted on one side and captured another. I was within 

 four or five yards at the time, and had a distinct view 

 of what was to me then a novel proceeding, but I have 

 since observed it several times, and particularly so on 

 the 20th of May, 1856, when I saw a number of them 

 hawking for flies in the manner of the swallows. In 

 this case it was no momentary impulse that prompted 

 the habit, as in the first instance, but they were steadily 

 making a business of it, and continued thus employed 

 for some time. 



They are staunch friends of the farmer, and consume 

 an immense number of grubs and slugs, and in their 

 search for these I have seen them literally blacken the 

 pastures with their numbers. 



The Raven' (Corvus corax) is but a straggler in this 

 part of the country. I have not known of more than 

 two instances of its occurrence, a fact which I have been 

 rather surprised at. Its predaceous character makes it 

 many enemies, and I have never known it to nest with 

 us. I have the evidence of old residents that it used to 

 be comparatively frequent in the district, but it is very 

 rare now. 



Many years ago the landlord of the Black Bull Inn, 

 at Mansfield, had a tame raven in his stable-yard. I 

 always frequented this inn when I had occasion to go to 

 Mansfield, and whenever I drove or rode into the yard, 

 Tom, the raven, was sure to be about ; and if the ostler 

 was not in sight, he invariably called out with a hoarse 



