1$2 SPRING. 



But that great digestive power, and constant vora- 

 city of appetite, which constitute the chief value of 

 those birds as scavengers, operate at those times when 

 there is no such supply as the winter leaves when the 

 breath of spring has dissolved and dissipated the snow ; 

 and at those times they become spoilers. 



On those gloomy days, when a mass of hail cloud 

 loads the mountain atmosphere, but which is yet too 

 unbroken for being precipitated, when a livid streak of 

 light along the southern margin of the mountain ho- 

 rizon, shows that the cold air of the high ground is fast 

 invading the plain, when fitful gusts begin to wail 

 around the stones, and to " sough" (luctus intermittens, 

 there is not an English name for it) through the withered 

 grass and the dry rushes, when the shepherd wraps 

 him in his blanket, and huddles under the shelter 

 stone, with his trusty collie crouched and trembling at 

 his feet, but still with his eye so intent upon his master 

 that it seems to anticipate a command, when the 

 wethers run to the eminence, and turn their heads si- 

 multaneously with the gust, as if they felt that they 

 would be buried up were they to remain in the hollow : 

 on those gloomy days the raven is gloomily alive ; and 

 amid the muttered voices of the coming storm, his 

 "cdrrcq! citrrcq!" approaches nearer and nearer. 

 The dog springs to his feet, recovers his energy, and 

 makes those signs that indicate^ suis prtt. There lags 

 one of the flock far from the rest, and it is making no 

 effort to join them. It is sickly, exhausted, or has 

 stuck in the mire between the hassocky tufts of grass. 

 Towards that the raven bends his course, by alternate 

 hop and flight, increasing his note as he comes nearer, 



