146 THE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



RAVEN. 



Corvus corax. 



The Raven is now become a rare bird in Sussex, and its 

 breeding-places are very few. It is extremely voracious, and, 

 though feeding on any living animal it can master, hares, 

 rabbits, rats, &c., as well as on young lambs, or even full- 

 grown sheep, if found in a state of weakness, a dead car- 

 cass of any kind is a particular attraction. It feeds also on 

 freshwater mussels, as well as on marine shell-fish, or any 

 animal matter it may find on the sea-shore, though near its 

 nesting-places it is said to do little damage, driving off any 

 Hawks, or other intruders, from its neighbourhood. In my 

 own notes I find the following : — "The Raven has for many 

 years bred annually in Danny Park, Hurstpierpoint. A fine 

 adult female was shot there in January 1840, which was 

 afterwards presented to me. Having been much disturbed 

 iu the park, these birds forsook the spot, and betook them- 

 selves to a plantation on the side of the neighbouring Wol- 

 stonbury Hill, one of the South Downs. 



" On April 16th, 1855, 1 visited this new settlement, and 

 found that the nest was built in an old Scotch Fir, about 50 

 feet from the ground. The birds were very anxious and 

 clamorous, flying round and alighting on the trees, some- 

 times within 300 yards or even nearer, or soaring over our 

 heads uttering their bark-like cry. A few days before, a 

 boy had been up to the nest, and found in it four young birds 

 newly hatched. He said that the old birds, when he was at 

 the nest, were very, savage, and darted down several times to 

 within a few feet of. him.^^ 



Though it has nothing to do with the birds of Sussex, I 



