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THE EDINBURGH JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



tained in the crops of two Individuals recently obtained from Shetland. In that of 

 one were 5 1 grains of barley, while the other contained 1000 grains of the grey oat, 

 besides a few small seeds. Now, supposing there may be 5000 Wild Pigeons in 

 Shetland, or perhaps in Fetlar alone, which feed on grain for six months every year, 

 and fill their crops once a-day, half of them with barley, and half with oats, the number 

 of seeds picked up by them would be 229,500,000 grains of barley, and 450,000,000 

 grains of oats ; — a quantity for which the poor Shetlanders would be very thankful in 

 a season of scarcity like the present. What is the number of Pigeons, wild and tame, 

 in Britain, and how much grain do they pick from the fields and corn-yards? It is 

 probable, that were the quantity of seeds of the cereal plants, which all the grani- 

 vorous birds in the country devour anunally, accurately known, it would prove much 

 higher than could be imagined ; yet by far the greater part could be of no use to 

 i\Ian, were all the birds destroyed, it being irrecoverably dispersed over the fields. 



Sternum of Birds. — M. F. Lherminier, a French physician, settled at Gauda- 

 loupe, has recently made extensive observations on the development of the sternum 

 in Birds. Before giving a brief account of his discoveries, we shall shortly describe 

 the bone to which they refer, with the aid of a figure of that of the Black Grouse, 

 Tetrco Tetrix. 



The letters a, 6, c, <f, e, mark the limits of the sternum itself; h, indicates 

 the coracoid bones, or clavicles of many authors ; t, i, the furcula, or anterior 

 clavicles ; and j, j, the scapulae. The sternum varies greatly in form in differ- 

 ent tribes of birds ; the body, 6, c, rf, e, f, g, being sometimes complete, often, as 

 here, with deep vacuities or sinuses, by which it is broken up ; and often with 

 holes or notches in its posterior margin. The crest or ridge, a, e, is more or less 

 prominent according to the size of the pectoral muscles, which depress the wings, 

 and is therefore, in some degree, indicative of the power of flight of the species. It 

 is wanting in the Ostrich, which is destitute of wings properly so called, that is, or- 

 gans uf flight, and is very highly developed in Eagles, and other birds that fly with 

 great speed. 



From the observation hitherto made, only two modes of ossification of the sternum 

 have been admitted ; namely, five pieces in the Gallinaceous birds, and two in the 

 Ducks and Ostrich. M. Lherminier, however, considering the diversified forms 

 under which that bone exists in birds, found it difficult to believe that there are only 

 two types for the arrangement of the pieces which enter into its composition ; and 

 on extending his researches, came to the conclusion that the number of original 

 pieces is nine ; at least, that there are nine distinct bones in the sternum of birds, 

 considered in a general sense, although in no species does the whole number occur 

 at any period of development. 



These nine pieces may be considered as belonging to three transverse series, an 

 anterior or prosternal, a middle or mesosternalj a posterior or metasternal. The 

 first row comprehends a median piece, the prosternum, and two lateral pieces, the 

 prosternal ; the second is composed of a mesosternum and two mesosiernals ; the 

 third of a metcosternum and two metasternals. It is to be remarked, however, that 

 the number of the pieces of each series may sometimes be more than three, and in 

 certain groups of birds, M. Lherminier has seen it amount to six. 



The first series, when it exists, is generally confined to a much smaller space than 

 the rest. It is sometimes complete, sometimes reduced to two lateral pieces, and 

 sometimes to the middle piece alone. It serves to support the coracoid bones, A, 

 and affords a fixed insertion to the sterno-coraco-clavicular aponeurosis. It is that 

 part denoted by the letters b, c. 



The second series may, in like manner, be complete, or formed only of the two 

 lateral pieces, but it is never reduced to a single central piece. When the three 

 pieces exist, sometimes the mesosternum forms part of the body of the bone, and is 

 seen at its upper surface ; sometimes it belongs to the keel, a, e, and occupies its 

 upper part. In the former case, it may be double or single ; in the other, it is always 

 a single nucleus. The use of this series is to afford a point of support to the sternal 

 ribs, and to contribute to the development of the crest and body of the sternum. 

 When the first series is absent, the second occupies its place opposite the coracoid 

 bones, which then rest on the mesosternum, or, in its absence, on the mesos- 

 ternals. 



The third series belongs entirely to the body of the bone, and is sometimes com- 

 plete, sometimes reduced to the two lateral pieces, or to the middle piece alone, which 

 it is sometimes rather difficult to distinguish from the two other central pieces. When 

 these are wanting, the metasternum directly supports the coracoid bones. The me- 

 tasternals, like the mesosternals, contribute to the support of the ribs, and maintain 

 in a state of tension the fibrous m.embranes of the sternum, so as to favour the action 

 of the muscles inserted into them. 



These pieces exhibit great diversity in their mode of development. Their rela- 

 tive importance, estimated according to the frequency of their occurrence, is as fol- 

 lows : — I. The mesosternals, which are never wanting; 2. the mesosternum; 3. 

 the prosternals ; 4. the metasternum ; 5. the prosternum and metasternals. 



In the Gallinaceous Birds, of which the figure represents the sternum, that bone 

 results from the union of five pieces, there being originally in the chicken five centres 

 of ossification, viz. two lateral pieces of the middle series, and three of the posterior 

 series. The two lateral pieces of the middle row form the part included between 

 6, c, and/; the middle posterior piece is marked by a, cf, e; and the two lateral 

 posterior pieces are denoted by ff. 



By researches of this kind, that is, by comparing the parts in Birds of different 

 genera and families, it may be expected that much light will ultimately be thrown on 

 the natural arrangement of Birds, which at present is left in the hands of persons who 

 can do little more than compare skins and stuffed specimens, and who, ludicrously 

 enough, perpetually talk of the *' strict analysis" by which they have absolutely fixed 

 the order of jN'ature 



BRITISH BIRDS. NO. I. 



The Raven. — The habits of many of the most remarkable of our native Birds 

 being very impeifectly described by our most accredited authors, we ^jropose to pre- 

 sent those of the species, which, on account of their great size, beauty, utility, or 

 injurious agency, are especially worthy of notice, in a series of papers, commencing 

 with that most sagacious of all birds, the Raven. 



This species, which is the largest of the Crow family resident in Britain, with a 

 grave and dignified air, combines much cunning, and in courage is little inTerioreven 

 to some of the Rapacious Birds. Its body is of an ovate form, rather bulky ; the 

 neck strong, and of a moderate length ; the head large and oblong ; the bill rather 

 long, deep, and nearly straight ; the feet of moderate length and ordinary strength. 

 The plumage is compact and highly glossed ; the wings long and much rounded ; as 

 is the tail. The bill and feet are black ; the plumage deep black, with splendent re- 

 flections of rich purplish-blue. The length of the male is twenty-six inches, and its 

 extended wings measure fifty-two. 



The Raven is a remarkably grave and sedate bird, and, unlike many men who as- 

 sume an aspect of dignity, is equally noted for sagacity and prudence. It is crafty, 

 vigilant, and shy, so as to be with great difficulty approached, unless in the breeding 

 season, when its affectionate concern for its young, in a great measure, overcomes its 

 habitual dislike to the proximity of Man ; a dislike which is the result of prudence 

 more than of mere timidity ; for, under particular circumstances, it will not hesitate 

 to make advances which a timorous bird would, no doubt, deem extremely hazard- 

 ous. It eats from off the same carcase as a Dog, and takes its station close to an 

 Otter devouring its prey, doubtless, because its vigilance and activity suffice to enable 

 it to elude their efforts to inflict injury upon it ; and while it yields to the Eagle, it 

 drives away the Hooded Crow and the Gull. It knows the distance, too, at which 

 it is safe from a man armed with a gun, and allows the shepherd and his dogs to come 

 much nearer than the sportsman. It never ventures to attack a man plundering its 

 nest, and rarely pretends to be crippled, in order to draw him away from it, but 

 stands at a distance, looking extremely dejected, or flies over and around him, utter- 

 ing now and then a stifled croak indicative of anger and anxiety. 



When searching for food on the ground, it generally walks with a steady and mea- 

 sured pace ; but under excitement, it occasionally leaps, using its wings at the same 

 time, as when driven from carrion by a dog, or when escaping from its fellows with 

 a fragment of flesh or intestine. Its flight is commonly steady and rather slow, and 

 is performed by regularly timed beats of its extended wings ; but it can urge its speed 

 to a great degree of rapidity, so as to overtake an Eagle, or even a Hawk, when 

 passing near its nest. In fine weather it often soars to a vast height, in the manner 

 of the birds just mentioned, and floats, as it were, at ease, high over the mountain 

 tops. Some Naturalists having observed Birds thus engaged, have imagined thera 

 to be searching for food, and have consequently amused their readers with marvel- 

 lous accounts of the distances at which the Eagle can spy its prey; but had they 

 patiently watched, they might have found that the quiet soarings of the Raven and 

 the rapacious species have no reference to prey. On the other hand, it may some- 

 times be observed gliding along, and every now and then shifting its course, in the 

 heaviest gales, when scarcely another bird can be seen abroad, Although there is 

 not much reason for calling it *' the tempest-loving Raven," it would be a severe 

 storm indeed that would keep it at home, when a carcase was in view. 



In the Hebrides, where this bird is much more abundant than in any other part of 

 Britain, it may be seen either singly or in pairs, searching for food, along the rocky 

 shores, on the sandfords, the sides of the hills, the inland moors, and the mountain 

 tops. It flies at a moderate height, proceeding rather slowly, deviating to either 

 side, sailing at intervals, and seldom uttering any sound. When it has discovered a 

 dead sheep, it alights on a stone, a peat bank, or other eminence, folds up its win<»s, 

 looks around, and croaks. It then advances nearer, eyes its prey with attention, 

 leaps upon it, and, in a half crouching attitude, examines it, Fmding matters as it 

 wished, it croaks aloud, picks out an eye, devours part of the tongue, if that organ 

 be protruded ; and, lastly, attacks the abdomen. By this time another Raven has 

 usually come up. They perforate the skin, drag out and swallow portions of the 

 intestines, and continue to feast until satiated or disturbed. Sometimes, especially 

 sViould it be winter, they are joined by a Black-backed Gull, or even a Herring 

 Gull, which, althout;h at first shy, are allowed to come in for a share of the plunder ; 

 but should an Eagle arrive, both they and the Gulls retire to a shoit distance, the 

 former waiting patiently, the latter walking backwards and forwards, uttering plain- 

 tive cries, until the intruder departs. When the carcase is that of a larger animal 

 than a sheep, they do not, however, fly off, although an Kagle, or even a Dog, should 

 arrive. These observations were made by the writer, when lying in wait in little 

 huts constructed for the purpose of shooting Eagles and Ravens from thera. The 

 latter were allowed to remain unmolested for hours, that they mi.t;ht attract tha 

 former to the carrion ; and in this manner, he was enabled to wttth their actioni 

 when they were perfectly unrestrained. 



