be known at a distance by their whirling flight, forming circles as they approach. They make a chattering noise when they assemble and disperse. They are fond of society, and are sometimes seen in company with redwings, fieldfares, and even with owls, jackdaws, and pigeons. They feed chiefly on snails, worms, and insects; they also eat various kinds of grain and seed, and are said to be very fond of cherries. In a state of confinement they will eat small pieces of raw meat, or bread soaked in water.

The female Starling builds a simple nest of straw and twigs, &c. in the hollows of trees, rocks, or old walls, sometimes in cliffs overhanging the sea, and frequently in the hollows and chinks of an old churchtower, such as is represented in the engraving at the head of this description. She lays four or five eggs; and the nest is often placed so high that it is impossible for cruel boys to get at it to rob the poor bird of its young.

The Starling is indeed a sagacious bird, and shows much care and method in its proceedings. Bishop Stanley, who gives a very interesting account of a flock of these birds which came under his immediate observation, says, that a lame Starling was observed, for eight years, to return to the same nest.

THE Raven is the largest bird of the Crow kind. It is a native of every region, and can bear heat or cold alike. "Go where we will," says Bishop Stanley, "over the face of the wide world, and the well-known hoarse croak of the Raven is still to be heard." It generally builds its nest in a high tree, and lays five or six eggs at a time. It is a bird of prey, feeding chiefly on small animals and carrion. Young rabbits, ducks, chickens, eggs, &c. are sometimes devoured by it. When brought up young, the Raven becomes very familiar, and exhibits many amusing qualities, which make mirth for a whole neighbourhood. It is a forward, sly, prying, active creature. It may be instructed in the art of fowling like the hawk, taught to fetch and carry like the spaniel, and even to speak like the parrot. The Raven is a sad thief, and is said to have been detected

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in the act of secreting silver spoons in its lurking-place. It has, however, several good qualities, which often make it deservedly a great favourite. We may glean a valuable lesson of kindness and compassion from the following anecdote of a Raven, that lived many years at the Red Lion Inn, Hungerford. The story is told in the Gentleman's Magazine, and quoted in Hancock's Essay on Instinct,

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Coming into the inn yard," says the narrator, "my chaise ran over and bruised the leg of my Newfoundland dog; and while we were examining the injury, Ralph, the raven, was evidently a concerned spectator; for the minute the dog was tied up, under the manger, with my horse, Ralph not only visited him, but brought him bones, and attended on him with particular and repeated marks of kindness. I observed it to the ostler, who told me that the bird had been brought up with a dog, and that the affection between them was mutual. Ralph's poor dog after a while broke his leg, and during the long time he was confined, Ralph waited on him constantly, carried him his provisions, and scarcely ever left him alone. One night, by accident, the stable door had been shut, and Ralph had been deprived of the company of his friend the whole night; but the ostler found in the morning the door so pecked away, that, had it not been opened, Ralph, in another hour, would have made his own entrance. Several other acts of kindness were shown by this bird to dogs in general, but particularly to maimed or wounded ones."

The Psalmist, proclaiming the wisdom and goodness of God, as evinced in the works of the creation, and in His providential care of the creatures of his hand, says: "He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young Ravens which cry." ""* When God fed Elijah in a miraculous manner, Ravens brought the prophet meat morning and evening. And the question in Job, "Who provideth for the Raven his food?" may be answered in the words of Psalm cxlv. 15, 16: "The eyes of all wait upon Thee, O Lord, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thy hand, and fillest all things living with plenteousness.'

Ps, cxlvii. 9, +1 Kings xvii. 6.

Job xxxviii. 41,

THE Magpie may be known from other birds of the Crow kind by the mixture of white and black on its breast and wings, by its long tail, and the bright and varied hue of its feathers. It is a loud, troublesome, and restless bird. It can be taught to imitate the human voice.

No food comes amiss to the Magpie. It lives on worms and insects, and even on small birds, It often perches on the back of a sheep, or an ox, picking out the insects that lodge there, and chattering all the

time, apparently to the great annoyance of the animal on which it trespasses. It is fond of hiding pieces of money and articles of dress.

Its nest is generally very curious, on account of the manner in which the parent birds fence it round with briers and thorns, to keep off the foxes, cats, and hawks, which might else assail the young brood. Bishop Stanley, in his History of Birds, mentions some anecdotes of a pair of Magpies which had settled near a house in the north of Scotland. He says, "The female was observed to be the more active and thievish of the two, and withal very ungrateful; for although the children about the house had often frightened cats and hawks from the spot, yet she one day seized a chicken, and carried it to the top of the house to eat it, when the hen immediately followed, and having rescued the chicken, brought it safely down in her beak and it was remarked, that the poor little bird, though it made a great noise while the Magpie was carrying it up, was quite quiet, and seemed to feel no pain, while its mother was carrying it down."

A more favourable trait appears in the following circumstance, which occurred in Essex. "Some boys having taken four young ravens from a nest, placed them in a waggon in a cart-shed. About the same time these cruel boys happened to destroy the young of a Magpie, which had built its nest near the cart-shed ; when the old Magpie, hearing the young ravens cry for food, brought some, and constantly fed them till they were given away by the boys."