THE NESTS AND EGGS OF 

 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Family CORVID.^. Genus CORVUS. 



RAVEN. 



CoRvus CORAX, LhmcEUS. 



Single Brooded. Laying season, March and April, 

 sometimes in February. 



British breeding area : The Raven is slowly- 

 vanishing as a breeding species from England. At the 

 present time it breeds here and there on the rocky- 

 headlands of the south coast of England, but few are 

 the places where it is allowed to do so in peace. One 

 or two pairs breed regularly on the coast of Devonshire 

 (one pair to my knowledge this season on the rocks 

 near Watcombe). In Wales it is perhaps more common. 

 The great stronghold of this species now is in the wild 

 districts of Ireland and the Highlands, especially in the 

 Hebrides (including St. Kilda), where it nests com- 

 monly, even in spite of ceaseless persecution. Inland 

 localities are now nearly deserted, except in very 

 secluded places, and the Raven's great breeding strong- 

 holds are on the ocean cliffs. 



Breeding habits : The Raven lives in the company 



