84 HTLL BIRDS OF SCOTLAND 



waters of the loch in the valley below, but at the Corbie's 

 crag the air was quiet, though the rush of wind at the top 

 of the gorge and the skurrying clouds showed the strength 

 of the air current. Soon a heavy squall of rain and sleet 

 swept across, and immediately afterwards I saw two 

 Ravens come over flying at great speed down wind. They 

 showed a complete lack of interest in the nesting site, 

 however, and crossing to the far side of the glen, turned 

 and flew slowly up against the gale, moving just above 

 the surface of the hill in order to shelter themselves as 

 far as possible from the storm. From their behaviour I 

 had little doubt that their eggs had been stolen, for the 

 nesting site is known to many, and the difficulties in afford- 

 ing adequate protection to the birds during the nesting 

 season are great. The nest of the Raven seems to be 

 always built of heather sticks as a foundation ; sticks 

 usually taken from a piece of moor which has been burnt 

 only superficially, perhaps, owing to the strength of the 

 wind or some other cause. The eggs repose on a lining of 

 dried grass and wool, and the latter must be of consider- 

 able value in retaining the heat during the absence of the 

 mother bird on the wild days of early spring, Tlie eggs, 

 resembling those of the Grey Crow, but larger in size, are 

 from four to six in number, but as many as eight have 

 been found. They vary a good deal in colour ; some are 

 pale blue with a greenish tinge and faint blackish under- 

 lying shell markings and dark surface spots scattered 

 over the shell ; others are olive green, closely marked 

 with blackish brown blotches. It is said that the 

 eggs of the Raven taken in Spain are rather more 

 brightly coloured than those from Northern Europe. 

 In size they vary from 1|^ by l^g to If^ by 1}^ 

 inches. 



The Raven frequently nests in trees on the Continent, 

 though on the British Isles it is — nowadays, at all events — 



