306 corvidjE. 



when fall-grown, as in this instance/' Mr. Waterton states, that 

 a tame raven kept at Walton Hall, " took a sudden dislike to an 

 old duck, with which, till then, he had been on the best of terms; 

 and he killed her in an instant." A raven which lived in the yard 

 attached to the chief inn at Antrim, for about fifteen years, had 

 occasional encounters with game-cocks brought thither to engage 

 it, and bets pended on the issue. The raven in every instance 

 proved the victor. Avoiding the blows of the cock, the former 

 acted only on the defensive, until it could manage to lay hold of 

 his head, which instantly was crushed in his powerful beak, and 

 its antagonist fell lifeless on the ground. 



Mr. Robert Warren, junr., informs me, that when on the 27th 

 of April, 1848, at the Beanies, — lofty rocks, six miles southward 

 of the entrance to Cork harbour — where the common cormorant 

 (P/ialacrocorax carbo) breeds ; he observed a pair of ravens visiting 

 the nests for the purpose of carrying away the eggs : and saw not 

 less than five borne off on the points of their bills. Their depre- 

 dations were committed with impunity, as they only visited the 

 nests during the absence of the owners. As these ravens had a 

 nest about three hundred yards from the breeding haunt of the 

 cormorant, the number of eggs they will thus abstract in a 

 season, must be very great. 



The late Mr. T. F. Neligan of Tralee mentioned to me, that 

 ravens chiefly frequent the sea-shore in the county of Kerry, 

 where he had often seen them feeding on putrid fish.* Great 

 numbers of these birds are in some works, (especially those treat- 

 ing of American ornithology,) described as frying in company. 

 Although ravens may be seen every day in the year around Belfast, 

 and usually in pairs, the most I have heard of being observed 

 on wing together, did not exceed twelve in number. About 

 Navarino and Athens, the raven has come under my notice — 



* Along the coast of Norway, ravens were remarked by my friend, the late George 

 Matthews, Esq., of Springvale, to be " in great numbers everywhere, and very tame. 

 They perform the ollice of scavengers about the houses of the people, a very necessary 

 and useful occupation, considering the quantities of fish ofial thrown out " Grey 

 crows (C. comix) were also very numerous. 



