THE RAVEN. 



271 



ground, he would throw himself on his back, and 

 rub himself on the sand or snow, just as dogs are 

 wont to do, when they fall in with carrion. 



No bird in the creation exhibits finer symmetry 

 than the raven. His beautiful proportions, and his 

 glossy plumage, are calculated to strike the eye of 

 every beholder with admiration. He is by far the 

 largest of all the pie tribe in Europe ; and, according 

 to our notion of things, no bird can be better pro- 

 vided with the means of making his way through 

 the world ; for his armour is solid, his spirit uncon- 

 querable, and his strength surprising. 



Necromancers of old were noted for their atten- 

 tion to the movements of the raven ; and they are 

 said to have counted no less than sixty-five different 

 inflexions of his voice. His sable robe and hollow 

 croaking seem to have rendered him of vast im- 

 portance in those days ; when old women were 

 known to travel through the air on broom-stafis^ 

 and when the destiny of man was frequently fore- 

 told by the flight of birds. Nay, in our own times, 

 the raven has not quite lost all claim to the know- 

 ledge of things to come ; for good farmer Muck- 

 drag's wife, whilst jogging on with eggs to market, 

 knew that there was mischief brewing as soon as 

 she had heard a raven croak on the unlucky side of 

 the road. 



" That raven on the left-hand oak, 

 Curse on his ill betiding croak, 

 Bodes me no good." 



She had scarcely uttered this, when down came her 



