RAVENS IN SOMERSET 115 



rabbit warren, when the bird suddenly got up 

 from the mouth of a burrow, and coming straight 

 to him, hovered for some seconds above his 

 head, not more than thirty yards from him. 

 "It looked as if he wanted to be shot at," said 

 the old man, "but he's no bird to be shot at 

 by I. 'Twould be bad for I to hurt a raven, 

 and no mistake." 



Continuing my inquiries about the Somerset 

 ravens, I found a man who was anxious that 

 they should be spared. His real reason was 

 that their eggs for him were golden eggs, for 

 he lived near the cliff, and had an eye always 

 on them, and had been successful for many 

 years in robbing their nest, until he had at 

 length come to look on these birds almost as 

 his own property. Being his he loved them, 

 and was glad to talk about them to me by the 

 hour. Among other things he related that the 

 ravens had for very near neighbours on the rocks 

 a pair of peregrine falcons, and for several years 

 there had always been peace between them. 

 At length one winter afternoon he heard loud, 

 angry cries, and presently two birds appeared 

 above the cliff — a raven and a falcon — engaged 



