Dear Elena,
Relevant to your inquiry is Wholly Animals by David Bell (Cistercian Publ).
He collects many charming stories about saints and animals; the Cuthbert
stories are outstanding. The 12th century treatise on birds is not
actually by Hugh of St. Victor, but by Hugh of Foulloy. There is a recent
edition/study of it by Willene Clark, Medieval Book of Birds (Binghamptom,
MRTS, 1992). Ravens have a long history in Benedictine lore: the crows
which took away the bread intended to poison Benedict in Gregory's
Dialogues; crows which performed a similar service for St. Meinrad, etc.
Hope this helps. Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB
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