RAVENS NESTING IN CONFINEMENT. 



THE pair of ravens represented in the accompany- 

 ing sketch were for some time in the Zoological 

 Gardens before coming into my possession. There 

 were other specimens there at the time, and Mr. 

 Bartlett, who kindly procured them for me, con- 

 sidered that they might be induced to nest if placed 

 in an aviary where they would not be liable to 

 disturbance. Early in January, 1871, they began 

 to form a nest, the male commencing the work by 

 carrying up sticks and branches, which had been 

 placed for their use, to a nesting-box fixed in one 

 of the upper corners of their place of confinement. 

 Of these materials he soon constructed a sort of 

 platform to serve as the basis of the structure. 

 This was soon interwoven with smaller sticks and 

 fragments of roots, until it assumed a somewhat 

 cup -like form. The female now aided her mate by 

 sitting in the concavity, and weaving in the building 

 materials carried up to her by the male. They soon 



