Most of those who take an interest, lightly amateur or
severely ornithological, in birds and bird-books, are doubtless familiar by now with the name of Raven—we intend no pun : Canon Charles E. Raven, author of In Praise of Birds, Ramblings of a Bird Lover, and now of a third and equally distinguished collection of essays, Bird Haunts and Bird Behaviour. Here, anyhow, is the opportunity to make or renew a delightful and very worth-while acquaintance. Canon Raven writes primarily as an essayist, perhaps, rather than as an ornithologist ; but he knows his birds, and the essay in his hands, while being the reverse of heavily erudite, is no mere vehicle for the expression of its writer's personality ; which is perhaps why, when he does tell us something about himself, the interpolation is so refreshing and full of real charm : as, for instance, when he confesses how, " Even now an angel in a stained glass window always sets me counting the number of his quills, and wondering to what family (of ducks) his wings would assign him." There is the essayist
and bird-enthusiast in one sentence ; with a piquancy added, when one considers how familiar with all kinds of stained-glass angels this particular connoisseur of ducks' plumage must be. * * * *
Previous page
