98 THE RAVEN 



crack with his bill, he has been seen to carry high 

 in air and drop upon the rocks. The islands round 

 the west and north of Scotland still afford one of 

 the best fields for the observation of the raven when 

 he is at work. And Macgillivray, who, some sixty 

 years ago, used to watch them with a telescope from 

 huts he had put up for the purpose, has given a 

 graphic description of their modus operandi, the 

 gist of which I reproduce. 



When a raven discovers a dead sheep, he always 

 first alights at a considerable distance from it, looks 

 carefully around, and utters a low croak. He then 

 advances nearer, in his queer sidelong fashion, eyes 

 his prey wistfully, and then, plucking up his courage, 

 leaps upon him and makes a closer examination. 

 Discovering no cause of alarm no suspicion, that 

 is, of a trap or poison he gives a louder croak, 

 pecks out an eye and part of the tongue, and 

 devours them. By this time, another raven, and 

 another, and another will have arrived, when they 

 dig out together the intestines, and continue to feed 

 on the carcase till they are sated or disturbed. 

 Sometimes a greater black-backed gull, a skua, a fox, 

 or even a dog, will have a "look in," and be allowed 

 to join in the feast. Ferns convivialis, "he will 

 banquet with wild beasts," says Linnaeus tersely of 



