The Tameness of Wild Geese.



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her largely on fish, of which she is very fond, and fresh raw meat

cut up rather finely.


It is a popular error that Ravens love carrion. Whatever

they may do in a state of nature from necessity, in captivity they

show no such inclination. My experience of these birds is a very

large one and in every instance tainted meat was invariably

rejected in favour of fresh. “ Toti ” used to dip his meat in water—

another old favourite rubbed his in earth.


In regard to fruit, of which the Great-hilled Raven is said to

he fond, all I can say is that 11 Toti ” had a choice of figs, grapes,

bananas, dates, etc., and always ignored them. Neither would she

touch any small insects, though once she swallowed a spider, by

mistake I fancy, as she was yawning ! I once put a large black slug

in her bowl, she was immensely interested, carefully lifted it out in

her powerful (?) bill and gently placed it uninjured on the side of her

cage watching it creep away with evident pleasure.


Toti ” was not a large eater by any means. All food not

immediately disposed of she carried about carefully concealed and

when irritated by the presence of strangers she had a pleasing habit

of disgorging it much to their edification. I should have much liked

to illustrate this article with some photographs of the bird with a

beak, believing as I do that the illustration is always the best thing

in any article. My reason for not doing so is best expressed in the

Spanish saying, “ Sahe el cuervo mas que el hombre.”



THE TAMENESS OF WILD GEESE.


By Innis Doerien-Smtth.


At my home in the Scilly Isles, immediately in front of the

house, divided only by two garden terraces, lies an enclosure of grass

land which verges on to a fairly large piece of fresh water. Beyond

that, the ground slopes slightly upwards where big stretches of bracken

and gorse finally almost meet the sea-shore, -from which the fine

white sand blows inland, covering the coarse bent and grass, whirled

about and heaped up by the big gales which sweep over the Atlantic.

Here amongst giant boulders, the Wheatears have their homes,



