Birds. 9563 



among birds of his own class, as the following history shows. About two years since 

 I bad a female raven, bred on the Sussex cliffs, which I allowed to roam at large ia 

 my garden, it having its wing cut. In July, 1863, a young herring gull, from the 

 same locality, was procured and placed in the garden as a compiinion for the raven. 

 For a long time these continued to live very amicably together. In August, 1864, 

 another young herring gull was added to their number, and the three confined in an 

 ample space, enclosed with a wire fence, in which was an artificial pond, and where 

 all delighted to perform their ablutions. The last comer was the cock of the walk, and 

 when he pleased would keep both raven and elder gull at a respectful distance. The 

 first evidence of the raven's destructiveness was evinced by its attack on an unfortunate 

 jackdaw, which happened to stray into the garden from a neighbouring cottage: this 

 bird was speedily killed, picked and devoured, much to the chagrin of its owner, a boy, 

 who prized it highly. On the 3rd of February, in this year, I made an addition to 

 this happy family, in the shape of a very interesting little specimen of the common 

 gull {Lams caniis): this pretty creature was soon quite at home with the other birds, 

 and all agreed pretty well for a few days, when one morning I was horrified at seeing 

 wings, tail and feathers scattered about on the snow, the body having been picked and 

 devoured. This so annoyed me that I had the raven driven out from the enclosure 

 into the open garden; but this only made matters worse, as two days afterwards the 

 older of the herring gulls, getting into difiiculties by thrusting his head through the 

 wire fencing, from which he was unable to extricate himself, was attacked by the 

 raven, and before relief could be afforded, had his scalp torn off and the skull perforated 

 by the powerful beak of its antagonist. About this time also a tame sparrowhawk 

 belonging to the owner of the jackdaw before mentioned, was in the habit of coming 

 into the garden ; and, having duly cautioned the owner of the fate which awaited his 

 bird if he did not confine it to his own premises, it was allowed to stray once too often, 

 and speedily met the fate of the other birds. I was very anxious to save the only gull 

 I now had remaining, yet very unwisely allowed the two birds lo remain together in 

 their enclosure, feeling confident in my own mind that, from the pluck and size of this 

 gull (he being a larger bird than the raven), he would be able to take care of himself 

 if he had but fair play. In this I was unfortunately mistaken, for a few days since, 

 without our being made aware of any quarrel by the cries of the bird, we found the 

 poor gull picked and partly eaten, which operation must have been performed very 

 expeditiously, as it had been seen alive but a short time before. It would be interesting 

 to know, from anyone who has had experience in keeping ravens with other large birds, 

 and where, as in this case, they have lived amicably together for a considerable time, 

 if it is usual for this destructive propensity to become suddenly developed. In this 

 case, the thirst for blood being once roused, it was carried to the extent of destruction 

 of every bird which came in the raven's way, in spite of a liberal allowance of meat, 

 fish, &c., with which it was regularly supplied. — James Dutton; Hammersmith, 

 March, 18(i5. 



Sand Grouse, ^-c, near Keighley. — I have jiist seen, in the shop of Mr. Gott, bird- 

 preserver, of Keighley, a fine specimen of the sand grouse: this bird, the only one 

 seen, was killed on Oakworth Moor, near here, in June, 1863, and brought to him for 

 preservation. He has also a rednecked grebe, shot in the River Aire in the winter of 

 184S: I believe it to be a female in its winter plumage, though time and light have 

 so faded its colours as to make it somewhat dilficult to distinguish. In March, 18.59, 

 a roughlegged buzzard was shot ou Cullingworth Moor, and was preserved by him; 



