RAVEN. 3 



black. The underlying spots are paler and not so 

 clearly defined, being often gray or violet in shade. 

 Some eggs are much more sparingly spotted than 

 others. Their shape, too, varies considerably, some 

 being oval, others more rotund, and less frequently, 

 pyriform. Rare varieties are reddish-white in ground 

 colour, spotted with reddish-brown surface markings 

 and violet-gray underlying markings. Average measure- 

 ment, 2'0 inches in length, by i"^ inch in breadth. In- 

 cubation lasts from nineteen to twenty days, and is 

 performed by both sexes, but the fem.ale takes the 

 largest share. 



Diagnostic characters : Normally the eggs of the 

 Raven are readily distinguished from those of every 

 other British species by their colour and size ; but in 

 some cases it is impossible to separate them from ex- 

 ceptionally fine eggs of the Carrion Crow, or even the 

 Rook and the Hooded Crow. In such cases it will, 

 however, generally be found that those of the Raven 

 are the heaviest for their bulk. 



Family CORVID.'E. Genus CoRVUS. 



CARRION CROW. 



CoRVUS CORONE, Liiuuzus. 

 Single Brooded. Laying season, April and INIay. 



British breeding area : Notwithstanding the war 

 of extermination almost everywhere waged against it, 

 the Carrion Crow is fairly well distributed over the 

 woodland districts and rock-bound coasts of England. 

 In Ireland it is rare and almost replaced by its close 

 ally the Hooded Crow ; the same remarks apply to 



