HOODED CROW. 89 



productive among themselves if so restricted ; but if allowed 

 an opportunity of uniting with the true species of either 

 parent, they are then prolific, and the young birds produced 

 soon lose all intermediate character. 



The Hooded Crows, like the other Crows, are early 

 breeders, making their nest upon trees, in those countries 

 where trees are found, in default of trees they build on 

 marine rocks and cliffs : the nest is formed of sticks and 

 straw, lined with wool and hair ; the eggs from four to six in 

 number, mottled all over with greenish brown on a light 

 green ground ; the length one inch ten lines, by one inch 

 three lines in breadth. 



In addition to the localities already quoted, the Hooded 

 Crow is indigenous in the northern parts of Ireland. North 

 of the islands of Scotland, it is common in Denmark, 

 Sweden, and Norway, breeds in considerable numbers on the 

 Faroe Islands, and is found at Iceland ; it is found also in 

 Russia and Siberia, but not beyond the Lena. It is said to 

 breed in Germany ; and is common during winter on the 

 coast of Holland. In the southern parts of Europe, this 

 bird inhabits the plains from autumn to the spring, and the 

 mountains that are wooded from the spring to autumn. Mr. 

 H. Strickland observed that it was common at Smyrna ; it is 

 found in the Grecian Archipelago ; and it inhabits the 

 country between the Black and the Caspian seas. M. Tem- 

 minck includes it in his Catalogue of the Birds of Japan ; 

 and Sonnerat records it as inhabiting the Phillippine Islands. 

 Beak strong, like that of the Raven, two inches long, and 

 shining black, the basal half covered with projecting feathers, 

 which entirely hide the nostrils ; the head, cheeks, throat, and 

 neck in front, shining bluish black ; wings and tail the same ; 

 nape of the neck, back, rump, and all the under surface of 

 the body smoke grey, the shafts of the feathers dark slate 

 grey ; legs, toes, and claws, shining black. 



