THE RAVEN IN THE WILDS. 179 



as they all have the same attachment to the places of 

 their residence, there is little or no invasion of territory, 

 or war upon the confines. The nest is not necessarily 

 the retreat for the night at all times ; for when they 

 meet with a prize more than usually rich, they gorge 

 themselves till they are obliged to spend the night in 

 the neighbourhood of the discovery : but in general their 

 resting place is near home. 



It is not exactly in those places, however, that the 

 raven is seen to the greatest advantage, at least most 

 in accordance with the" character that he usually gets, 

 His real feasting time is during the trouble and weak' 

 ness of other creatures, and his table is found in the 

 wilderness. In the seventy of winter, he is driven to 

 the neighbourhood of houses, and even cities, where 

 he prowls in quest of offal, and, not unfrequently, he 

 resorts to the shores of the sea. Upon cliffy coasts, in- 

 deed, especially in those isles on the coast of Scotland, 

 where the snow seldom lies long unless upon the 

 mountains and in the interior, the shores are the 

 regular habitations of the ravens, and they are found 

 there in considerable numbers ; we do not mean num- 

 bers in flocks, but pairs within short distances of each 

 other. 



From those places, and, indeed, from all those 

 retreats, when these are in situations where the winter 

 is severe, the same winds of the spring which tempt the 

 lark to soar and sing over the furrowed land, draw 

 forth the raven to the wild ; and let the wind blow 

 ever so strong, so that it blows but a certain thaw, 

 the dark bird may be seen buffeting it with lusty 

 pinions, as if his pleasure were in the strife of the 



