86 BRITISH BIRDS, THEIR EGGS AND NEST». 
or craggy precipices, but oftener in a tree, piling nest after nest in 
successive years upon the same bough, whence the chosen tree 
soon comes to be called the “ Raven-tree.” One such accumulation 
of nests I knew, as a boy, in Hssex, and after a stiff climb succeeded 
_ inreaching it. I did it in jeopardy however, for the Ravens were 
very bold, and every moment I expected they would assail me, in 
spite of the short bludgeon I had suspended to my wrist. The 
appearance below the nest of the farmer in whose fields the Raven 
tree grew, decided the question—perhaps he frightened the Ravens 
as well as threatened me; perhaps they knew he came as their 
protector—anyhow I did not get my egg, although I had actually 
had itin my hand. The nest isa great pile of sticks, lmed with wool 
and roots and felts of hair, and often has four or five eggs laid in 
it, of a light green ground-shade, blotched and spotted with browns 
of varying depth of colour, but some of them very dark.—Fig. 3, 
plate V. 
. 118. CROW—(Corvus corone). 
Carrion Crow, Corbie Crow, Flesh Crow, Gor Crow, Midden 
Crow, Black Crow, Black-neb, Hoody.—Another bird not nearly 
so common as it used to be, even within my own recollection— 
-and no wonder; for he is a strong, fierce bird (Mr. Waterton 
calls him his * Warrior bird’), and a young and weakly lamb, a 
young Hare or Rabbit, a wounded or frightened Partridge has little 
or no chance with him. I knew a case a year or two since of a 
Crow attacking a Partridge and driving it to cover in a hedge, 
where it lay so terrified and exhausted as to suffer itself to be 
picked up by a spectator. I knew another instance years ago in 
which the Crow attacked a young Rabbit. The old doe came to 
the assistance of her young one, and the »attle was well con- 
tested, but the Crow was the victor, and carried off the spoil. 
