70 BRITISH BIRDS. 



MANY of the birds which constitute this order 

 resemble each other in their plumage and habits ; 

 it includes, however, the Pie, Jay, Nutcracker, 

 Chough, Chatterer, Roller, Oriole, Starling, and 

 rose-coloured Starling ; birds which differ from 

 each other in these respects. At the head of these 

 we shall place the Raven, w T ell known by its black 

 glossy plumage and croaking note. Birds of the 

 Crow kind are found in every part of the known 

 world, from Greenland to the Cape of Good Hope ; 

 and though their principal food is earth-worms, 

 they may be said to be of great benefit to mankind, 

 not only by devouring putrid flesh, but by destroy- 

 ing great numbers of noxious insects and reptiles. 

 In general they are restless and noisy, easily 

 tamed, and capable of being taught to articulate 

 words, and to obey the voice of their master. They 

 are sagacious, active, and thievish : they are 

 monogamous, and their mutual attachment is very 

 strong and constant. They build mostly in trees, 

 and form a kind of society, in which there appears 

 something like a regular government : a sentinel 

 watches for the general safety, and on the approach 

 of an enemy, or of a stranger, they act in concert, 

 and drive him away with repeated attacks. On 

 such occasions they are as bold as they are cunning 

 in avoiding the smallest appearance of real danger ; 

 of this the disappointed fowler has frequently occa- 

 sion to take notice, on seeing the birds fly away 

 before he can draw near enough to shoot them. 



