182 BIEDS. 



sionally, where there are no trees, the rook is known to 

 breed near the ground. -AV/r/s, 3 to 5, i^ inch; brownish- 

 green, with dark spots. 



The Eaven, the largest of the family, is diminishing 



yearly owing to persecution on the part of keepers, to 



whom, it must be admitted, the bird is an 



"R, fii "XT' ^ n 



unwelcome neighbour. It is only in the hilly 

 parts of Scotland and the isles that the raven is nowadays 

 at all plentiful, though it breeds in isolated districts of 

 England and Ireland. It is a pugnacious bird, not hesitat- 

 ing, in defence of its young, to attack those of tmce its size, 

 and even men have to proceed warily after the eggs. The 

 raven is a destroyer of young lambs and weakly ewes, but 

 it also destroys large numbers of rats. It is easily recog- 

 nised by the long throat-feathers. It nests in cliffs or trees, 

 preferably on or near the coast. The nest, always large, 

 becomes huge in time unless destroyed, as the bird adds to 

 it year after year. It is of tw^gs and heather lined with 

 lamb's-w^ool. Eggs, 3 to 5, near 2 inches ; much as those 

 of the rook save for their greater size. 



Like many of its tribe, the Jackdaw has a liking for the 

 sea-coast, where it may always be seen to advantage by 

 those who walk along the top of the cliffs in 

 which it nests. The dull grey collar dis- 

 tinguishes it from the rest of the family. Those who 

 have visited the quieter glades of Sherwood Forest will 

 not soon forget the large colony of jackdaws which are, 

 or were, one of the sights of the place. There was a 

 large colony, too, in the white cliffs not far out of Rams- 

 gate ; but the cliffs are continually crumbling in those 

 parts, and the birds consequently desert freely. This 

 small member of the crow family is an insect-destroyer 

 on a large scale, one of its favourite feeding - grounds 

 being the backs of sheep and cattle. It is, however, a 

 poacher as well, for in addition to its taste for fish it has 

 a fancy, not altogether rare, for eggs. The long wings 



