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small sticks of the Cottonwood, the nest well stuck together by a 

 generous supply of mud or adobe clay, and further strengthened by its 

 situation in some suitable fork of the tree. In this open country of ours, 

 where we have great winds that sweep the trees clear of any other nests, 

 we find that those of the Crow survive them all ; and as this species rarely 

 uses an old nest twice over, they provide a great many structures for the 

 Long-eared Owl, Sparrow Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, and sometimes the 

 Great-horned Owl. (THe Long-eared Owl prefers a Crow's nest to that 

 of a Magpie's. They do not mind the exposure and sunlight, and they do 

 appreciate the depth which allows them to conceal their stature while in- 

 cubating.) The principal material used for lining is cattle hair, which in 

 some nests plainly indicates that it was pulled from the hide of some dead 

 'steer' lying conveniently near on the plains. I have also found nests lined 

 from the scrapings of horse hair from a curry comb ; these were probably 

 picked up at favorable moments from around the barn of some isolated 

 ranch. It is well matted against the sides, with a generous supply in the 

 bottom." I would also add the Broad-winged Hawk to the list (^f birds 

 using old nests of the Crow. 



Mr. John A. Bryant writes the following ; " Last June I found a nest 

 built in a tall cottonwood standing alone. It was placed on a horizontal 

 limb, midway from tip to trunk, built entirely of green leaves and 

 twigs. The leaves still had a greenish cast, although shriveled, twist- 

 ed, and brittle. No doubt it was built from the branches blown oft by a 

 recent storm. This was about the middle of June. The builders had 

 doubtless been driven from some other locality." I would add that the 

 green leaves were most probably used for greater protection against some 

 foe, possibly man. In this instance the birds showed an instinct almost akin 

 to reasoning, or it is at least a remarkable incident. In North Carolina the 

 nesting material differs somewhat from that already given, as might be 

 expected. Cypress bark, moss, sticks, layer of earth, roots, pea and 

 potato vines ; lined with grape vine bark, moss, or hair. The California 

 bird differs in the lining of her nest, more often using the covering of 

 soap root, strips of redwood bark, moss, wild cotton, or cow hair, than 

 anything else. 



It is found that the Crow does not v-ary in the material used, in any one 

 locality, to any great extent ; yet there is considerable difference in the 

 construction or the "workmanship," as it has been called. It would 

 seem that the older birds, having the most experience, would construct 

 the better nest. However this may be, some individuals construct more 

 subtantial nests than others. When a pair of Crows have been disturbed 

 in their nidific;ition, and are forced to rebuild se\eral times, the result 



