xxxiii INSTINCT OF RA VENS AND DUCKS 293 



near approach of death. I myself have known several instances 

 of the raven finding out dead bodies of animals in a very short 

 space of time. One instance struck me very much. I had 

 wounded a stag on a Wednesday. The following Friday I was 

 crossing the hills at some distance from the place, but in the 

 direction towards which the deer had gone. Two ravens passed 

 me, flying in a steady straight course. Soon again two more 

 flew by, and two others followed, all coming from different 

 directions, but making direct for the same point. " 'Deed, Sir," 

 said the Highlander with me, " the corbies have just found the 

 staig ; he will be lying dead about the .head of the muckle burn." 

 By tracing the course of the birds, we found that the man's con- 

 jecture was correct, as the deer was lying within a mile of us, 

 and the ravens were making for its carcass. The animal had 

 evidently only died the day before, but the birds had already 

 made their breakfast upon him, and were now on their way to 

 their evening meal. Though occasionally we had seen a pair 

 of ravens soaring high overhead in that district, we never 

 saw more than that number ; but now there were some six or 

 seven pairs already collected — where from, we knew not. When 

 a whale, or other large fish, is driven ashore on the coast of any 

 of the northern islands, the ravens collect in amazing numbers, 

 almost immediately coming from all directions, and from all 

 distances, led by the unerring instinct which tells them that a 

 feast is to be found in a particular spot. 



Ducks go out to the grass-fields to search for the snails 

 which they know will be found before the coming shower ; the 

 field-mouse covers up her hole in due time before the setting in 

 of cold weather. Fish have the strongest instinct with regard 

 to changes of the weather, refusing obstinately to rise at the 

 most tempting baits or flies when clouds charged with thunder 

 or rain are passing through the air. Indeed most birds and 

 animals have a singular foreknowledge of changes in the 

 weather ; shifting their quarters according as the coming rain 

 or the dryness of the atmosphere warns them. 



The grouse foretell the approaching rains before the most 

 weather-wise shepherd can do so, by betaking themselves to the 

 dry heights, where they sit or walk about with erect heads and 

 necks, in quite a different manner from their usual gait. So do 

 the mountain sheep change their feeding-ground to the lee side 



