ii88 II A l: ITS OF 'I'm: HAVHM 



'I'll'' loiigu*! of Iho Raven i.s i;i,t,h(,'i' cufionHlytfoiim-d, Ixing hioiid, flat, covered wifli u 

 lioiiiy liiiid of isliield, and deeply clcfl al, iJic extreiriily. Al, llie root are four rather large 

 jii'ojeetion.s or Hpines, tin; |»oiiil,H lieinj^' di)'(!c,l,<^d hiiekwardH. TIk; use of tlnjse fsiiines Ih not 

 known, tlioiigli Mi', liuekland Miigg(!wtH tlnit limy ina,y Im; lor the purpo.se of preventing the 

 food fi'om being tiii'own ba<;k into tin; nioiitli. I do not, liowevei', think that this suggention 

 iH HuflieienI;, uh tlie)'(j is no reason why Uk* Haven wlioiild I'egurgitatxi its food more than other 

 J)i)'ds wliich feed on similar siil)stan<',(!S. If tlie l)irr| were in th(i liahit of eating living prey, 

 siieh as liznrds iiiid other i'(!])til<'s wliif^li ret;i-in Hie for a c.onsidei'able jjei'iod and ari(;r consid- 

 er;i,l)le injuries, (liis id<!a might be a gooij om-, but .'i:s IIk; H,;ivrii .-dwiiys kills ils prey before 

 eiiling it., the (licory will not hold its gioiiml. 



'i'lie eunniug of the ifjivcn is jnovcrbial, iiinl nin'cdotcs of its extj'aoidinai'y intc^lleetual 

 jjowers abound in various woiks. I''ri)iii the great mass of tliese stories I can only select one 

 or two which ate iiot generally known. 



One of thes(i bii'ds struck up !i gn^ii.t friendship loi- ii tc^rrici- dog belonging to tli(! landlord 

 of :iii inn, iiiul cai-ried his friendshi|) so far as to MC(!(mipany his ;i,lly in littl'.; hunting expcjdi- 

 tions. Ill these ;df:iirs the two (comrades us(id to kill ;iii .-istonishing numbei' of hares, rabbits, 

 and olhei' giune, e:icli tiiking his own shai'e of tin- work. As soon :is they ("ime to a covert, 

 (he Hiiven would sbiliori liiuis<^lf oiilside, while llu^ dog would enler the cov(^rf and driv(^ out 

 (he li;ires from lliejr <'onee;iliiient, t;i,king rwvi'. to seiiil Iheui ill I InMlirection of llie \\;ilchfiil 

 bird. On his p;i,rt (he K'nveii jdw.'iys posted himself closi^ to oik; of the oiitlels, and iis soon as 

 any living ci'e.-il lire piissed within icach, he would poiinci; upon it, and eilhei' destroy it at once 

 or wait until (he dog cjune to his assistance!, when by Iheir united efforts the prey was soon 

 killed. Uii,(,-hunting was .-i lavorib; sport of thes(! strange allies, ;ind it was said by those 

 who witrmssed (heir proci-ei lings, that the iiiiven w;i,s evciii more useful tliiin ;i, feri'et would 

 have be(!n. 



Aiiodier ;iiid very aiiiiising anecd(»(e of (lu- Raven :iiid ils ciiiiiiing is rcslated by Captain 

 Mcdbire, (lie well knowM Ai-(rtic voynger. Speiikijig of (Ik; behiivior of viii'ious birds ;ind 

 ()eiis(s during (he wilder, he reiuiirks (li.-il (lie K'liveii is (he hai'diest of (he feuXhensd (libe, and 

 (M'eii ill (he deplliM of wiiHer, wlieii wiiie fi'ee/.e.s widiiiiii, yiird of (lie (ire, ( h(! Ravoii uiiiy be 

 seen winging ids Wiiy (hrough (he icy ;i(niospliere •■iiid iHiering his s(r;iug(! rough, croiikiiig 

 cry, as iincoucernedly jis if (Ik! vveiidier were soft ji.ikI w;iriii us iiii lOnglish spring. "Two 

 RiLvens," h(M)bserves, "oiiee e.stnblislied (lieiiiselv(!S as fi'iends of (Ik! family in Mcu'cer Bay, 

 living muiiily by wliiiX Utile soups tlu! men might Jiiivi^ (lircjwn away aftei- jtieul times. 



'"rh(! ship's dog, however, looked nj)oii them iis his especial percjuisites, and exhibited 

 (^oiisidi'iiible (energy in m;i,iii(;iiiiing his I'ights agiiinst tli(! Rjivcsns, who iiiivei'tluiless outwitted 

 liim in a way which amused every one. Obsei'ving that he a])])((ared cpiite willing to make a 

 uioiidifiil of (heir own siibli; persons, (hey use<l (<• (h row themselves iiilcidioniilly in liis w;iy 

 jus(, lis (he mess (ins were being I'leiired out on the dust lieiip outside! (he ship. 'I'Ik! dog woiilil 

 immedi.dely niii ;i( (lieiu, :iiid (hey would just My ;i- few yards ; the dog (hen nmde uiiother 

 run, iiiid iig.'iin they would ;ippe;i,r to (escape him but by ;ui incli, iuid so on, iiidll Wwy li;id 

 templed iiiid provoked him (o (he shore ;i- coiisid(!iabl(! eiistance olf. 'i'lieii (Ik! Uiiactis would 

 m:ik(' ;i direcl (light lor (he ship, :iiid li;id g(Mi(!i'ally done good execidioii before (he morliiied- 

 lookiug dog det(M'ted (he imposKion (iia(, liiid been pi'actised upon him, iuxl rushed back again." 



Not long ago,* 1 saw a ifaven in agi'eul. brew(M'y, holding a. large saiisiige in his l)enk, and 

 Ihipping about (lie yiud just in fron( of oik* of \\w driiymiMi, (o whom (Ik! s(()len diiitily liad 

 <'\ideii(ly belonged. 'JMie bird would not (idiil)le i(self ((> m.'ike ils escMpe, bid in (he most 

 pi'o\()kiiig milliner hopped ;iloiig just ii, yard or so before ils piii'siuM', and from nil .•ippeiiniiice 

 as likely (o c.iriy on (he sniiie g;inie for an hour or Iwo; for while I \\;is siKiiig, (he i'ela(i\e 



posidons oC (lie pnilies did llo( ;il(er ill (he le;i,s(. H' (||<' IICIII s(opped, (lie bird s(op])(!d too, 



and began (o iiinki! such mideiit prepai:i(ioiis for swallowing (Im sa,usage I lial (he draynum 

 I'lisiied ill i( ngiiin. Mild agniii (he bii<i would just llap a yard or (wo in advance. 



In capdvity the R,a,veii is ;i inos(- nmiising, allhoiigh a, terribly mischievous ci-oa.tiire, and 

 <lisplays a (alent for (he inveiilioii of misc^hief which can only be (Hjiialled by ils nipidity of 

 <'xeciitioii and audacity of demeanor. Mxci^pt when place<l in an inclosed yard where (here is 



