91 



CROW. 



CARRION CROW. GOR CROW. GORE CROW. BLACK NEB. FLESH CROW. 



PLATE XLIV. 



Corvus corone, PENNANT. MONTAGU. 



NIDIFICATION begins the end of February, or beginning of March, 

 both birds helping to make the nest. 



The nest is built in rocks or in trees, generally high up, and is 

 made of sticks, firmly cemented with clay, and lined with roots, and 

 again with straw, wool, moss, fur, hair, or anything else that is soft: 

 the latter the Crows pull for the purpose from the backs of animals. 

 It is usually concealed as much as may be, for instance, among the 

 topmost branches of a tall fir tree; but if not, is placed on some 

 bough near to the trunk of the tree, or in the cleft formed by the 

 main branches. A pair built on the ground in one of the Fern 

 Islands, and their nest was made of pieces of turf laid one upon 

 another, and lined with wool, all brought from the mainland, four or 

 five miles distant. The Rev. W. Waldo Cooper has known a nest 

 repaired the second year. 



The eggs, four to six in number, are pale bluish green, spotted and 

 speckled with grey and brown: some are pale blue undertinted with grey. 



One variety is almost white and immaculate. 



A second is very pale green, slightly mottled over. 



A third, the same ground colour, but with a few larger marks. 



A fourth is dull light yellowish brown, with a few large marks and 

 some smaller ones, the base nearly covered. 



A fifth is dull olive green, much dotted all over. 



A sixth is green, moderately marbled over. 



A seventh is grey, slightly streaked and dotted. 



