362 



THE MUSEUM. 



in the midst of a small clump of its 

 species, the domicile being about 20 

 feet from the ground, against the 

 trunk, resting on several horizontal 

 branches. 



Though no measurements were 

 taken, the structure was slightly larger 

 than a large nest of Corv2is Amcri- 

 canus, with greater depth externally, 

 and had the appearance of having 

 been rebuilt from last years service. 



In composition, as well as position, 

 it did not differ notably from that of 

 the crow, except in lining, which was 

 of wool, a material which I have never 

 seen used as lining by the crow in this 

 State. 



When still about a quarter of a mile 

 from the island we heard the adults 

 croaking uneasily but on landing they 

 were nowhere in sight nor did we hear 

 them. As our boat thumped on the 

 rocky shore, the young squalled in 

 chorus and after which they made no 

 sound, even when I was at the side of 

 the nest stroking their heads. Search 

 showed that the parents had i^ed from 

 the island, a habit, I am told, com- 

 monly practiced by them on the ap- 

 proach of man, and had it not been 

 for the squall of the young there would 

 have been no suggestion that we were 

 at their breeding station, of so com- 

 mon an occurence is it to see a pair of 

 Ravens about any of these islands. 



This observation indicates that thtir 

 eggs were deposited in March (cf. 

 Davie's Nests and Eggs of North Amcr- 

 can Birds 1889 p. 265-226.) 



My companion of that trip, Mr. 

 Fred Rackliff, informs me that he se- 

 cured a set of fresh eggs from the 

 same clump oj trees, (and undoubted- 

 ly the same birds), a year or two 

 later, near the 20 of Apiil. 



In 1 89 1, October 4th and 5th while 

 at Bald Head, Small Point, Me. in 

 Sacgadahoc County I observed a pair of 

 these birds, perched in a thrifty spruce 

 tree, one on top, its mate half hidden 

 in the dense foliage about two feet 

 lower. They presented a striking pic- 

 ture of this species and one I can hardly 

 hope to see bettered in a long time. 

 They were at perfect repose, probably 

 enjoying the evening glow of the rap- 

 idly sinking sun, nevertheless they 

 were vigilant, and as I attempted to 

 approach them under cover, they took 

 their flight across a bushy pasture, 

 lighting on an exposed and command- 

 ing perch about half a mile from the 

 shore. This was on the fourth day of 

 October, and on the morning of the 

 fifth, at daylight, they came down, 

 near our camping place, scanning the 

 shore, stopping occasionally, croaking 

 frequently, and launched out over the 

 water, to the west across Anohog Bay, 

 farther than the eye could follow 

 them. Several hours later I had fol- 

 lowed the same course and saw them 

 feeding on the shores of one of the 

 islands adjacent to Harpswell, — a dis- 

 tance of about ten miles, for this 

 morning ramble. 



1894, February 2 to 9, I spent 

 camping and collecting in company of 

 Mr. Rackliff, on the outer islands of 

 Penobscot Bay, Knox Co., Me. during 

 which time we observed one or a pair 

 of these birds, nearly every day. Dur- 

 ing these days we experienced great 

 changes of weather, from the most 

 beautiful calm winter morning, when 

 the great expanse of ocean glistened 

 in the rising sun, followed by chilly 

 afttrnoon with fretted ocean, when 

 the distant islands, seemed dancing by 

 the act of refraction; wild gales which 



