NOTES. 57 



RAVENS AS SCAVENGERS. 



The testimony of the eminent naturalist Belon (circa 1555), 

 referring to the protection given to Kites and Ravens in the 

 City of London, is well known ; and likewise that of Sir 

 Thomas Browne, referring to Norwich (circa 1662), as to the 

 " good plentie about the citty which makes so few Kites to 

 be seen hereabout." That Ravens existed in great numbers, 

 and were useful scavengers around London as late as towards 

 the close of the eighteenth century, is manifest from the 

 personal experiences of Robert Smith, who published a work 

 on the destruction of four-footed and winged vermin, and 

 quaintly describes himself as "Late Rat-Catcther " to the 

 Princess Amelia.* As I never remember seeing this author 

 quoted, and as some of his descriptions contain valuable 

 information, and as the book itself is not common, I venture 

 to give Robert Smith's note on the Raven, which shows the 

 rat-catcher was a man of observation. " This is the largest 

 bird that feeds on carrion, and is of a fine shining colour ; in 

 some places it is very serviceable, in eating up the stinking 

 flesh or carrion of dead beasts and other carrion, but in many 

 other places very mischievous, and does a great deal of harm, 

 I having been allowed as much per head for killing them as I 

 had for Kites and Hawks, as they are equally pernicious in 

 killing and devouring young rabbits, ducklings and chickens. 

 I know of no better way to catch them, where they become 

 troublesome, than to set two traps for them, in the same manner 

 as you do for the Buzzard [see plate VI., fig. I.], and put a 

 rat between them for a bait, but when you have taken one 

 or two, you must move your traps to another place, or the 

 others will prove too shy to be caught ; for as soon as one is 

 taken, great numbers will keep round him, and seeing him 

 fast, will grow suspicious of some danger, and not come near 

 the place any more ; but by observing the above method, in 

 moving the traps, I have caught great numbers of them in a 

 day, though it is attended with some labour and trouble. I 

 have often caught.the London Ravens near twenty miles from 

 home, in warrens, where they will sometimes come after the 

 young Rabbits ; by the London Ravens, I mean those that 

 generally frequent the outskirts of the metropolis, and live 

 upon the filth lying there, grubbing up the dirt in order to 

 get at their food, from whence the tops of their wings become 

 of a nasty, dusky brown colour, occasioned by their wallowing 

 in the dirt, by which means they are easily distinguishable 



* " Universal Directory for destroying Rats, and other kinds of four- 

 footed and winged Vermin." Third Edition. London, 1786. 



