RAVENS. 229 



two Crows, or, in failure thereof, must pay a certain 

 sum to the provincial judge, that these destructive 

 birds may be exterminated. Besides its human 

 enemies, it has, in those islands, other very formidable 

 ones of its own order, in the shape of certain sea- 

 birds, called the Oyster-catcher (Hcematopus ostra- 

 legits) or Sea-pie, and the Puffins, or Sea-Parrots. 

 The former follows it in its rapid flight, and darting 

 its long sharp bill into its back, makes it scream out, 

 and then, by a shrill cry, collects several more of its 

 own species, which unite in pursuing the persecuted 

 Raven, and oblige it to seek shelter in holes amongst 

 the rocks, where its back can be protected. 



The Puffin acts rather in self-defence, for the 

 Raven is the aggressor, attacking the Puffins for 

 the purpose of eating their eggs, of which the Ravens 

 are remarkably fond ; in this case a desperate fight 

 ensues ; for the Raven usually takes an opportunity 

 of committing the theft when the Puffins are at sea 

 in search of food, and he can, without opposition, 

 enter the holes or burrows in which the Puffins 

 breed ; but should the latter catch the robber in the 

 hole on returning, it darts its claws into its breast, 

 seizes him by the neck with its strong razor-formed 

 bill, and as soon as they issue from the hole, struggling 

 with each other, the Raven endeavours to ascend to 

 the land, while the Puffin, on the contrary, does its 

 best to descend to the water ; and if it succeeds, it 

 becomes, for the most part, the conqueror, for when 

 the Raven's feathers get soaked, he can no longer 

 defend himself, and perishes. 



Young Ravens, it is well known, may be easily 

 tamed ; but they are so cunning and mischievous, 



