504 PASSERINES. 



words and plirases, and to imitate the cries of other animals. These 

 facts are confirmed by numerous anecdotes related by naturalists 

 of undoubted veracity. 



Pliny speaks of a Raven which established itself in one of the 

 public places of Rome, and called out the name of each passer-by, 

 from the emperor to the humblest citizen. "We have all laughed 

 heartily at the recital of an adventure which happened to an 

 awkward horseman who lost his seat, while a Raven perched 

 on a branch of a tree above him cried out with solemn voice, 

 " How silly ! " 



Dr. Franklin thus speaks of a Raven of his acquaintance which 

 had been brought up at a country inn: — "It had," he says, 

 " great recollection of persons, and knew perfectly all the coach- 

 men, with whom it lived on the greatest intimacy. With its 

 special friends it took certaia innocent liberties, such as mounting 

 on the top of their carriage and riding out with them until it met 

 some other driver with which it was on terms of similarly close 

 friendship, when it would return home." The same Raven had 

 unusual sympathy with dogs in general, and especially those 

 which happened to be lame. These it loaded with the most 

 delicate attentions., keeping liiem company and carrying them 

 bones to gnaw. This excessive kindness to animals which are 

 rarely in the good graces of Ravens arose from this bird having 

 been reared along with a dog, for which it entertained such strong 

 regard, that it attended it with unremitting assiduity when it 

 had the misfortune to break its leg. 



The same author mentions another Raven which was captured 

 in Russia, and came to be confined in the Jardin des Plantes, of 

 Paris. It recognised Dr. Monin when he stopped accidentally 

 before its cage. It had belonged to him ten years before, and 

 when brought before its old master it leaped upon his shoulder 

 and covered him with caresses. The doctor reclaimed his property, 

 and the bird was henceforth an ornament to his house near Blois, 

 where it learnt to address the country-people as " great hogs." 

 Dr. Franklin raised one of these birds himself which showed 

 wonderful powers of imitation. " He called himself Jacob. Some- 

 times it made such a noise at the bottom of the stairs that you 

 could only imagine it was caused by a party of three or four 



