588 PERCHING BIRDS 



recently been seen round the carcase of a sheep. In Ireland, where 

 the species has become rare, except in the extreme west, ravens build 

 chiefly on sea-cliffs in the wilder districts, but to some extent also 

 in the mountains of the interior. The range of the species includes 

 a large portion of the northern hemisphere, extending in America as 

 far south as Mexico and Guatemala, in Europe to the Mediterranean 

 countries, and Asia to the Himalaya and north-western India. 



Ravens, which pair for life, occupy the same nest year after year, 

 and commence repairing the old structure as early in the season as 

 Januar)', while the eggs — from three to six in number — are laid in the 

 latter part of February or the commencement of March. The eggs 

 themselves, which average nearl}' 2 inches in length, are of the usual 

 crow-type, generally having a greyish or bluish-green ground heavily 

 blotched with chocolate-brown. Like that of the family in general, 

 the nest is a huge untidy structure of sticks, mingled, in this 

 instance, with heather, and thickly lined with wool or some equally soft 

 substitute. Cliffs form the favourite building-sites ; but the nest may 

 be constructed in a tall tree in rook-fashion. In the opinion of keepers 

 and shepherds the loss inflicted by ravens on lambs, kids, fawns, 

 poultry, and game altogether overbalances any good these birds may 

 do by the destruction of rats, moles, and other vermin, and their 

 consumption of dead carcases and other offal. Consequently, the 

 species is incessantly harried and persecuted in almost all parts of the 

 British Isles where it still survives. 



QpQ^ Measuring not more than 19 inches in length, the 



(Corvus corone) crow, or carrion-crow, as it is generally called (the 

 Convic CO rone of some ornithologists), is practically 

 a miniature raven, but distinguished by the circumstance that the 

 first primary quill, although longer than most of the secondaries, is 

 inferior in length to the innermost feathers of the latter series. The 

 plumage is black, tinged on the head, neck, and throat with green, 

 and glossed with purple on the upper-parts generally ; hens are 

 slightly duller in colouring than their mates, and j'oung birds may 

 be recognised by the pale flesh-colour of the interior of the mouth. 



The typical, or black crow is very closely related to the grey 

 crow, to be considered next, and since some difference of opinion 

 obtains among naturalists as to the nature of the relationship existing 

 between these two birds, we may depart from the rule hitherto 

 followed in this volume, and make the following quotation from 

 Professor A. Newton's Dictionary of Birds : — 



