542 BRITISH BIRDS. 
feed on grain, like the Rook—also, when hard pressed for food, on berries. 
Waterton states that he will feed voraciously on ripe cherries, and in 
autumn on walnuts. 
The breeding-season of the Carrion-Crow is somewhat late ; and in this 
respect it differs considerably from the Raven or even the Rook, approaching 
most closely the Jackdaw. The Raven’s eggs are said to be often laid in 
February, the Rook’s in March; but the Carrion-Crow seldom commences 
nesting-duties until the latter end of April or beginning of May. It is very 
probable that this bird pairs for life ; and each season the old nest will be 
visited and used again, provided the owners are not molested. If one of 
the birds be destroyed, its partner soon finds a fresh mate. The site for 
its nest depends considerably on the nature of its haunts. In hilly 
districts, and in the neighbourhood of the coast, its bulky nest is made in 
the rocks, usually in the least accessible part. In the wooded districts it 
selects some tall tree for its purpose, a large oak or pine being very often 
chosen ; whilst, according to my friend Mr. Labouchere, on the coast of 
Holland, where trees and rocks are scarce, it often builds its nest upon the 
ground. The Carrion-Crow will sometimes seek out a nesting-site in a 
very exposed situation, and although so shy and wary at other times of the 
year, will in the nesting-season often become most trustful—a habit, by 
the way, also observed in the Missel-Thrush and the Ring-Dove. The 
nest of the Carrion-Crow is a large structure, well made, and usually, 
if in a tree, in the topmost branches. From the\fact that the nest is 
added to each season, some of them are remarkably large. It is made of 
large sticks, usually dead ones, stems of heather, masses of turf, fine twigs, 
and roots, and lined with wool, moss, dead leaves, fur, feathers, and any 
soft material the bird can find. In shape it is rather flat ; and the interior - 
is smooth and compact. 
The eggs are from three to six in number, usually five, and are 
very similar to those of allied birds. ‘They vary from pale bluish green 
to clear green in ground-colour, spotted and blotched with olive-brown 
of different shades, with violet-grey underlying spots. They are sub- 
ject to no small amount of variation. Some specimens are so thickly 
spotted and blotched as to almost conceal the ground-colour; others are 
very sparingly marked. A very handsome egg in my collection is covered 
with short streaky semiconfluent lmes of pale olive-brown, intermingled 
with similar lines of violet-grey. On some specimens the markings are 
much darker than on others; and sometimes a few almost black spots and 
wavy scratches occur. They are usually well marked; but occasionally 
specimens are obtained almost spotless, or merely marked with a few 
yellowish-brown dashes. ‘They vary in length from 1°8 to 1°5 inch, and 
in breadth from 1:3 to 1-1 mch. It is impossible to distinguish the eggs 
of the Carrion-Crow from those of the Hooded Crow; but the eggs of 
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