CORVUS CORONE. 



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oblong, pear shaped, 1 J by 1^- inches. This nest was also lined 

 with fur — another proof that birds, like man, take what is 

 handiest— the moor being a rabbit warren. I did not see any 

 of the old birds. They had not begun to sit, or had eyed me 

 coming over the moor, for the giant firs stand like sentinels on 

 the outskirts of the straggling wood. There are twenty large 

 firs, on which carrion crows, kestrels, owls, and sometimes a 

 heron breed. On my way home by the road, wishing to know 

 if rooks had eggs at the same time as carrion crows, I climbed 

 up a tree at Seggie Kookery. I got two nests with five fresh 

 eggs ; and near Seatield brickwork at Eden I climbed one of the 

 large Scotch firs (since cut down). I got other two rooks' nests 

 with fresh eggs — proof they lay about the same time. When 

 home I also got two with five fresh eggs at the Priory. But 

 the week before I got some rooks' eggs from Feddinch deep 

 sitten. They may breed earlier in large than small rookeries. 

 On April 18th, same year, I got a carrion crow's 

 nest with four eggs, slightly sitten, on the top of a 

 small larch fir, 16 feet high, in a strip of wood near 

 Allan Hill (since cut down).. The nest was nearly hid 

 by the young branches and leaves. The crow flew off before I 

 climbed up. When at the nest she came and hovered above 

 me ; then flew away, and sat on a sheep fence about 400 yards 

 off, gloomily watching me ; but when I raised my hand to take 

 out the eggs, she returned and hovered above me all the time, 

 craw-crawing ; then, as if she knew the deed was done, gave 

 one deep croak, flew away, and I saw her no more. When at 

 the top of the tree taking the eggs, she never struck at me as a 

 missel thrush — and even a little tomtit — has done when at their 

 nests. This nest had some clayey soil intermixed with the 

 sticks, but instead of rabbits' fur like those at Tentsmuir, it 

 was lined with wool, sheep parks being close by. They often 

 alight on sheep and cattle when building. On May 7th, same 

 year, I started at 4 a.m., walked round by Guardbridge and 

 Leuchars, to the old fir park on Tentsmuir, to take notes on the 

 nesting of carrion crows, kestrels, sparrow-hawks, and long- 

 eared owls, which breed there. I had a rope to help me in 

 climbing up the large fir trees. I got two kestrels' nests, one 

 with two, the other with four fresh eggs. I also got two carrion 

 crows' nests, one with five eggs, deep-sitten ; the other with 

 four young ones, newly hatched. The carrion crow's nest, with 

 the young ones, was on the same tree and within 10 feet of the 

 kestrel's with the four eggs. I got a long-eared owl's with 



