OUR PETS. 59 



did not dare to attack oue of his wives or progeny. 

 They perfectly understood the clear note of defiance 

 which challenged them to the combat. Even the hens 

 in the absence of their natural protector never failed to 

 give battle when attacked. Once a venturesome raven 

 pounced upon some chickens, but was fiercely met by 

 the mother-bird. Her lord and master, the redoubted 

 Cceur- de-lion, not far off, hearing the scuffle, flew to the 

 rescue, and instantly closed in mortal combat with the 

 audacious assailant. The battle was furious, but brief 

 and decisive. The raven was hurled senseless, with 

 outspread wings, into a ditch close by ; and the cock's 

 "shrill clarion" proclaimed him victor. Our father, who 

 witnessed this rencontre, ran out ; and not till within 

 a few feet of the raven, did the latter gather himself 

 together and make ofif. 



CHAPTER II. 



I MUST now give some account of those pets which 

 were our especial charge and delight, namely, the wild 

 birds which we tamed, and of which we had always a 

 considerable number. In what follows, I merely make 

 a selection of the most interesting of our pets of this 

 description. 



The starling, which is one of the commonest of 

 Shetland birds, makes a charming pet. He is easily 

 domesticated, and becomes exceedingly familiar — a 

 brisk, bustling, pert little fellow, with really a great 

 amount of fun in his composition. One starling we 



