13 
longing to the former. The Ravens, how- 
ever, are of some utility to those who have 
sheep, as they give notice, by their assem- 
bling, when one of these animals has fallen 
down a precipice, so that it can be re- 
covered and carried home to be used as 
food. ,, 
The Rev. G. Low, in his history of the 
Orkney and Shetland Islands, informs us, 
"that inhard winters the Raven comes near- 
er the towns than usual for such ashy bird; 
then he is frequently seen by the shores, 
and even within a stone's throw of the 
nouses of Stromness, picking up what gar- 
bage, &c, he can find, but retires from us 
at the return of spring, and betakes him- 
self to the precipices of the hills and rocks, 
and sometimes to the steeples of the chur- 
ches, or any ruined building, and there he 
makes his summer's retreat, levying con- 
tributions on all around ; far from being 
so generous in this respect as our country* 
folks say of the Eagle, who (they tell us) 
takes but a hen from every house of the 
parish, and none from those in the neigh- 
bourhood of his royal nest." 
