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creatures once did nearly all our sanitary work, so far as the streets were concerned; but it did not keep the cholera from the place. It came, and the ravens came in advance of it; but why they did so remains a mystery that could never be accounted for by those of us who escaped that horrible visitation. It is not the least use trying to account for everything in the matter-offact manner in which things are usually disposed of at the present time. I have thought it all over, but to no purpose; I know only that when the scourge left the place the ravens were seen there no more.

to The Royal Anchor and showed his | him, cleared all up. I have seen ducks bird; the news spread, and thither all and pigs doing the same thing; these the choicest spirits flocked after him. What bird was it? No one knew, but it was universally set down as a Frencher o' some sort." Then one of them suggested that the bird should be shown to Mr. Grind, the lawyer, who was supposed to know everything. This was done, but he said that he had never seen such a handsome bird before, and did not in the least know what it was. Then as a last resource they sent for Dick the Whaler. He looked at it, turned his quid, rubbed his chin, and spoke : "If its feet was webbed-like, but they ain't, I should fancy 'twas one o' them 'ere pingin [penguin] things, fur some o' they outlandish things has top-knots; but this 'ere is afore my recknin'." After this sage utterance the bird was given over to the care of the host; all settled down to make themselves comfortable, and Dick had to tell over again how the whale was beached. In the small hours two figures were seen going home a little unsteadily, full of whales, top-knot herns, and "mixter."

"Can you tell me where your fine raven was procured ?" I asked a man who was walking up the street with one tucked under his arm like a rooster.

"From Sussex," he replied. "The friend that sent him to me said that a few pairs lingered there yet."

This was some years ago. I fear they may have been rooted out by this time. This fine, handsome bird is one of our wanderers; from the earliest time he has been an object of consideration, and all have credited him with superhuman intelligence, and regarded him as a bird of evil omen. This to a certain extent is not a matter of wonder, for he is one of nature's scavengers, and where he thinks his services are required there he will be. He may now be considered as practically banished from England; though he would come again if folks would let him, but they will not; he is outlawed, and a price put on his head. In past times, when people threw objectionable matter into the streets, he, with the kites to help

With the fierce and hardy Scandinavian sea-rovers the raven was a bird of note, though for what purpose he was used by them we have no record left to tell us. It has been conjectured by those whose deep research into historical matters give their views great weight, that the ravens (of which two varieties existed then as now, the black and the black-and-white raven) were carried by these rovers in their warships, to be turned out when on their exploring and plundering expeditions. They watched the flight of the bird, and if it did not return, they sailed in the same direction, feeling certain that land of some kind must lie where the raven had made for. That fierce race of seakings evidently knew far more about the real nature of the bird than we do at the present time.

With the part the raven played some have associated the Greenland, Iceland, and Norwegian falcons, the noble gyrfalcons, as they are called; but the raven is well known to have been an important factor, though a mysterious one, in all their high-handed proceedings. The pied raven belongs to the Faröe Isles, and is called after them.

If the Scandinavians were originally of Asiatic origin, the record of the raven's having been used by Noah no doubt must have been handed down to them. We have no authority for this theory, beyond the bare probability to which slight historical fragments point.

In past times the bird no doubt owed his life in some measure to the belief that ancient members of his race fed the Prophet Elijah. Where the Bible formed the only literature of the household, and it was read and acted on in a literal manner, it is no wonder that this bird went free. Some of the quiet women of our coast-their types are now only seen in paintings when they spoke were listened to with respect, for they would wrestle in spirit, as they called it, with the head of the house until he was full of it, and gave in. If it had "been shown to them," as they would say, that a certain thing should not be done, as a rule it was left alone by the men-folk.

between two and three hundred captured in a single season; not that we wished to destroy them, but positively they insisted on getting into the traps we were forced to keep set in order to check the increase of more destructive vermin."

I have quoted from this high authority because some, I know, have considered me a little one-sided and enthusiastic in pleading, as I still hope to do, for the preservation of some of the creatures in our country. Fortunately I do not stand alone in this. If ever a man studied the habits of birds impartially, it was E. T. Booth.

The raven has interested me at all times; not that my chances of studying

made the most of those I had. That he admirably fills the place for which he was formed, no one that has seen him can doubt. He is, I think, the closest feeder of any bird I am acquainted with. "Waste not, want not " is

The last ravens' nest which was har-him have been numerous, but I have ried, to my knowledge, was upset by some one hired for the job, and not by the person one might have expected to do it. If it was supposed that ill luck would thus be diverted from the latter I cannot say. One thing is certain, the man that gave the order for the ravens' destruction has been dead for years, while the man who harried the nest is alive still and hearty, although nearly seventy years old. Last summer he climbed up one of the finest trees in the district, like a squirrel.

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evidently the principle he works upon. One might say of him as the negro said of the shark, "Him berry clean feeder, sah."

That grand bird the cob, or great black-backed gull, whose wings extend five feet four inches, feeds on the same The late E. T. Booth, whose match- dead body at times as the raven, side less collection, which he generously by side, Odin's bird and the sea-vulture. left for the public benefit, shows his This bird wanders; and it is a curious ardent search for the beautiful feath- circumstance that the pure-looking seaered creatures that are to be found bird should be credited with far greater in our island, has a good word to say power for mischief than even the for the raven. Writing in 1876, after raven; yet such is the case. They go a visit to Perthshire, he observes: over the same kind of hunting-grounds, Few, if any, of these ravens [refer- feed on the same kind of food, living ring to some he saw there] had been and dead, and get trapped with the bred in the immediate neighborhood, same baits. Owners of grouse-moors, having in all probability crossed the I conclude, if they had their choice, hills from the northern countries or the would prefer to be visited by the ravens western islands. At that time of year sooner than by the cobs. As the gull they were perfectly harmless on the flaps along his keen eyes detect the ground, preying only on wounded game dead and wounded birds left after shootor hares, and, as they always left that ing. Down he swoops, and on the prey quarter before breeding-season, their he gorges like a vulture; not on carvisits were beneficial rather than other- rion, but on game. The next day he wise." And again he says: They returns to find some more; and then were at all times so eager to make a others, secing him making off in the meal off the dead game with which we same direction day after day, follow in baited our traps, that I have known the same course, for they know food is

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more or less detailed accounts concern- | boxes of splendid bird-skins home for ing the killing of some of these wan- their sisters, as well as drawings by naderers; but all rare birds, so called, do tive artists of the birds that the boxes. not get into the hands of preservers or contained. When these drawings were collectors. In my young days I was in carefully traced off, the result was very close touch with men and lads that superior in all respects to the work of sailed the sea in all directions; these our local genius. were well acquainted with the birds As I said before, the boys had little they saw on the water, and upon the to do with the affairs of their parents. distant shores they visited. They had from the confidential point of view; their own names for them, but that did and fine young fellows, men every inch not alter the birds in the least. As of them, were classed as boys. And I they were fishermen and fruit-boat men, can assure my readers that this sort of a few only of the latter, their chances thing has not yet quite died out along of observation were endless. Boys the foreshores. Those lads who had were rigidly excluded from the com- visited foreign shores were eagerly pany of men in our community, and all sought out by the fowler when they the wondrous information (as it ap-reachred port. From morning to night peared to me then) was given me by they yarned away about birds, questionlads who sailed with their fathers, sup-ing, comparing, and wondering; for the plemented at times by a sight of the bird-skins; for all the vessels carried fowling-guns. They knew how to skin the birds and to prepare them; not for bird preservers, but for ladies' muffs and for feather capes-tippets as they were called at that time.

lads had seen birds as they were coming and going that the fowler had only seen on the shores. Practical natural history would be fully discussed, sitting on the sides of a turned-up whale-boat.

I think that, if it could be got at, the list of unrecorded birds that have visited us would far exceed those recorded; for the reason that some of them are very much alike, and when shot for food they have been plucked and eaten without questioning. If two or three geese were procured and the crew required them for dinner, no matter how rare one, or the lot, might be, it would have required far greater powers of persuasion than could be employed at that time of day to prevent them from being cooked.

I have seen very fine feather capes made from bird-skins brought home by them, and also some feather work of a very novel character. The local artist would be coaxed by one or two clever ladies, always single ones, to draw the figure of some bird or birds on a sheet of the finest paper they could lay their hands on, after it had been properly stretched on a board. Often they could not decide how the bird should be drawn; a week or fortnight would pass over; then as a rule they would pick out the first sketch that had been shown them. As these preliminary studies afforded some very pleasing those wanderers that travel at express afternoons and evenings, time was not considered. The drawing having been made, the bill and feet were painted, as well as a background. Then with strong gum they fixed the feathers from the skins, a kind of feather-tiling it was, beginning naturally at the tail and finishing at the bill of the bird. I have seen very beautiful examples of this kind.

The East India Company was a power in the land then, and some who sailed in their magnificent ships brought

The greenshank, in general form and habits like the redshank, save for its green legs and larger size, is one of

speed. It is not such a common bird as its red-legged relative. Like the green sandpiper it is seen, when on flight, in spots suitable for resting; and like the former bird, the greenshank, it follows the line of the hills that have moors near them; the wilder they are, the better for the bird. But even in places that are not likely to be disturbed it does not stay; it only rests and moves on.

I have seen the bird, and I have also

seen different accounts of its habits by various writers; no two being afike, yet all true. One simple fact may be remembered by those who are from circumstances forced to draw their knowledge of birds from books, namely that one and all, from the most common to the rarest, can and do adapt themselves to surrounding influences. With some few exceptions which I need not. refer, to here, birds that are not molested are perfectly fearless.

.The regular wanderers com, as they have done from tim beyond record, but not to the same places. The bittern, little bittern, whooper, and golden oriole, would nest. in England, I think, if they were permitted to do so.

Recently, birds.have passed over the Surrey hills and woodlands in the night time, from north-east to south-west, that by their trumpet notes told plainly what they were; rare birds so called, who have found out fresh haunts where they know they are safe.

Some writers have stated that the greenshank is one of the most difficult The little stint, or he might be called birds to study, or to get within shot of. a dwarf sandpiper, a delicate creature, Why should any one want to shoot it? six inches in length, is a feathered Another states that he has lifted a wonder. After breeding in Siberia, greenshank off her est, out on the these little mites dash away to Africa open moorland, more than once. This and India; they also visit our own gentleman, when fowling in Sather- shores in considerable numbers. They landshire, passed in his punt within look like small ox-birds, dunlins. One thirty feet of thousands of those wary birds, the oyster-catchers; from never having been disturbed, they were perfectly fearless, and they took no more notice him than they would of a seal floating by. He did not fire at the birds; we have his word for that.

Seals are far more numerous than they are supposed to be by the general public. They can be seen mixed up with the young of sea-birds; some of these jabbering and squalling because the young seals have usurped their resting-places. Floating by, in calm weather, your glass will show you this

and more.

Within a few miles from London, as travelling goes now, the gannets in their seasons can be seen flying and plunging with almost clock-work regularity, following the shoals of fish out over the sand-bar. It is a dangerous place that sand-bar; some of those who last visited it have not the least desire to repeat the trip. If these sanctuaries did not exist, our waters would soon be lifeless. Happily they do, and to them the feathered wanderers come in countless hosts, as they have ever done. Those seen on the shore-line, great as their numbers may be, are really only the fringe, so to speak, of the vast congregations that resort to the sanctuaries of the dreaded sand-bar.

writer who has seen as much, or I may say more of rough weather, watching the arrival and departure of wanderers, than generally falls to the lot of one observer, has called them "flighters," and a very appropriate term it is.

Beside me, as I write, are the wings of the curlew, snipe, sanderling, and the common gull. The first three show at a glance that they were formed for long continuous flight. Their journey, we know, is broken like that of other wanderers, but they go a vast distance before they break it. The wings of the gull are after a different fashion, being

formed to enable the bird to beat to
and fro, now here and now there, and
to tack about.
The divers proper,
sprat-loons or sprat-divers, have short,
stiff wings; but, when fairly in flight,
they would shoot past any gull like
rockets.

With a few words about those large wanderers, the grey geese, I must close. The name is used as synonymous with stupidity, yet nothing could be wider of the mark; for our domestic goose is by far the most sagacious bird we have in a state of domestication. As to the wild geese, all who know anything about them practically, will agree that the bump of cautiousness has with them reached its fullest development.