Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1880-10-16
RAVEN INTELLIGENCE.
Samples of the Wit and wisdom of the
Bird.

Samples of the Wit and wisdom, of the
- Bird.
A few years ago a gentleman neal
Chapel-le-Frith, in Derbyshire, took a
young raven from its nest and kept il
in an Outbuliding for some months; its
wings were then clipped, and it was al
lowed to go at large. 1t soon became
well-knOwn for mile around. regular
ly visiting every farmhouse within that
distance whenever pig was killed
when it was rewarded with some It'd.
bit. After the death of its owner the
| raven was given to surgeon, resident
in Stockport, Cheshire, who kept il
chained by the leg for about IL months
he then gave it its liberty, and as before
it wandered about near home, but not
with the same success, for its thigh was
one day broken by some idle, thought
less boys, who threw stones at it. The
fracture was reduced, the raven recover
ed, and then again took to rambling
about for few weeks, when it disap-
peared altogether, and was supposed to
have come to an untimely end; when,
about fortnight after it had been miss
ed, the news arrived of its safe return to
its old residence at Cbapel-le-Frith, dis
lance IA miles, where it was allowed to
remain, and where it lived for many
years.
A writer in the Naturalist's Magazine
says that he remembers seeing on post
near the Elephant and Castle inn, at
which such multitude of coaches used
to stop, an inscription on "Ralph," ra-
ven of great celebrity, who had been in
his days distinguished member of the
Elephant and Castle establishment.
Those who recalled him gave several in
stances of his sagacity; among others,
that of his knowledge of, and Intimacy
with several of the cOachmen; with his
particular fav0rites and friends he
would lfrequently take short jaunts out
on the coach top, until he met with some
other coach, whose driver he also knew,
passing in hOmeward direction,
when he would Immediately change
coaches and return.
A still more curious annecdOte of at
tachment and observation in ravens is
given in the weekly periodical, the
Saturday Magazine, which, from its ap-
plicatiOn to the subject before us, we
here repeat. 1t occurred many years ago,
at the Red Lion inn, HpDgerfOrd. A
gentleman who lodged there, thus tells
the story: Coming into the inn yard"
says he, my chaise ran over and bruis-
ed the leg of favOrite Newfoundland
dog, and while we were examining the
injury, Ralph the raven, looked on also,
and was evidently making his remarks
on what | was doing; for the minute my
dog was tied up under the manger with
my horse, Ralph not only visited him,
but brought him bones, and attended
him with particular marks of kindness.
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, and all the neighbOrs
had been witnesses of the many acts of
kindness performed by the one to the
other. Ralph's friend, the dog, in course
of time, had the misfortune to break his
leg, and during the long period of his
confinement, the raven waited on him
constantly, carried him his provisions,
and scarce ever left him alone. One
night, by accident, the stable door had
been shut, and Ralph had been deprived
OF his friends company all night; but
the Ostler found, in the morning. the
door so pecked away, that had itSnOt been
OPOhCu, Al ouOuuCl uOul hdlDu would
have made his own entrance. The land
lord not only confirmed the ostler's ac-
count, but mentioned many other acts
of kindness shown by this bird to ali
dogs in general, but more particularly
to MANNED or wounded Ones"
But, however attentive thew NAV be
to dogs, as in this case, or to men, as in
the preceding one, the following in
stance of shrewd cunning shows that
they are ready enough, when it suits
their interest, to trick each other. AT
the geological gardens in the Regents
park, London, two ravens were kept in
one large cage or pen;a visitor passing
by threw them two pieces of bun, when
one of them Immediately jumped from
his perch, and before his cOmrade could
reach either of them, he had both secure
in his beak, and had regained his for
mer position on the perch, holding them
until he saw his comrade at the farther
end of the cage; he then flew down,
buried one of the pieces, which he care,
fully covered with gravel, and jumping
back to his perch with the other piece.
devoured it. He then hoped down for
the other piece, and that, much to the
annoyance of his companion, whom he
thus .artfully and cleverly contrived
to Outwit. =