RAVEN. 63 



same spot for many years in succession. Raven trees, as 

 they are called, exist in many different places ; and these 

 birds not only live to a great age, but are considered to 

 pair for life. It has been observed that if any accident 

 happens to either of the birds, the surviver quickly obtains 

 another mate ; and should both birds be killed, the same 

 locality, from some unknown cause of attraction, is almost 

 certain to be occupied by another pair. 



The nest is generally placed in the fork of a branch, and 

 is formed on the outside of sticks, with a lining of wool 

 and hair ; the eggs are four or five in number, two inches 

 in length by one inch four lines in breadth, of a pale green 

 ground colour, spotted and speckled with darker greenish 

 brown. Incubation with the Raven lasts twenty days, 

 during which the male feeds the female as she sits upon the 

 nest, and occasionally takes her place upon the eggs ; the 

 wants of the young are supplied for a time by the parents 

 with great tenderness and assiduity ; but they afterwards 

 drive them from their own haunts when they are able to 

 provide for themselves. 



Though possessed of great power as well as courage, the 

 old birds make no defence against any attempt, by men or 

 boys, to rob their nest ; but against the attack of other 

 birds, and even very large ones, they defend their eggs or 

 young with great boldness and perseverance. Gilbert 

 White, of Selborne, relates that his brother, the Rev. John 

 White, a very exact observer, had remarked, that a pair 

 of Ravens nesting in the rock of Gibraltar, would suffer no 

 Vulture or Eagle to rest near their station, but would drive 

 them from the hill with amazing fury. On the rocky cliffs 

 of our own coast these birds make their nests very high up. 

 They are observed in different parts of Ireland, in the 

 Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland. 



