40 
British Corvidae. 
They occupj^ the same nest for years, patching it up annually 
with fresh sticks and rubbish, until the whole afTair becomes! 
a large and somewliat unwieldly looking structure. The Raven 
is omnivorous; nothing comes amiss, weak lambs, injured wild 
fowl, worms, eggs, and even fish are all articles of diet as 
occasion offers. He is large and powerful, and no small bird 
or animal stands much chance with him in an encounter. This 
description makes the Eaven appear an inveterate bully, and 
it cannot be denied that he is to a certain extent. .\i the 
same time he is a noble and interesting bird, and well known 
by repute to people of all ages. It was sacred to Odin, the 
Danish War God. and is held in awe by superstitious peasants, 
partly, perhaps, owing to its curious " croaking." 
When tamed, the Raven makes a pet second to none 
in intelligence, friendliness, and amusing ways. The best, if 
not the only way to secure one as a pet, is to obtain him 
from the nest when a few days old, bring him up entirely by 
hand, and educate him. This is no light task, as it means 
feeding him evei'y two hours, starting at daybreak, and this 
process continues until he is able and willing to feed himself. 
He is never in a hurry to do this, as he much prefers to bo 
fed and waited upon — the rogue! He should be fed upon bread 
and milk, soaked dog biscuit, and a little meat. The young- 
sters arc queer looking little creatui'cs until they are properly 
reatncred. They soon learn to recognize their feeder, greeting 
him with loud " squeaks " and ever-gaping throats, never 
ceasing their outcry until they are stuffed full. I give them a 
large wired-in run with a wooden shelter attached, and furn- 
ished with plenty of perches, odd pieces of wood, boxes, and 
bits of rag which they utilize for hiding places for food, etc., 
and a large shallow bath filled with fresh water daily in which 
they love to splash about, keeping themselves beautifully clean. 
They are most inquisitive birds, poking and probing 
everything to satisfy their curiosity. This is shown to a 
greater extent when they are permitted to run loose in the 
garden. Every Raven has his own peculiar bent of raind. I 
could tell innumerable tales of his deeds, tragic or comic, if 
space permitted, but it is only possible to speak generally in 
a short article. One of ray Ravens had a 'wicked habit of pull- 
ing up the plants in the garden, and then hurrying out of 
