RAVENS 95 



sites. Sometimes a completely fresh nest is built 

 atop of one or even several old ones. Still, what- 

 ever the number of nests, it should be noted that 

 on the approach of the breeding-season, several, if 

 not all, of them are more or less partially refitted, 

 though long ere that event the eyrie intended for 

 the coming brood is indicated by the old birds 

 resorting to it the most, and roosting in its 

 vicinity. I have seen a Raven brooding in her 

 empty, unrepaired nest even in the bleak, cheerless 

 days of November, as though guarding it for 

 future use. 



Hardy fellow that he is, the Raven remembers 

 his love very early in the year. Even amidst the 

 chilly rigour of the northern mountains, with the 

 ground inches and even feet deep in snow, full 

 clutches of eggs are nearly always general by mid- 

 March, while nests in more southern latitudes 

 as, for instance, in Devon and Cornwall usually 

 contain eggs by March 2nd, or even sooner ; I 

 have heard of young there at the end of February. 

 Even in Wales I have seen eggs in the latter half 

 of that month, though there the Raven's great 

 laying time (full clutches, I mean) is between March 

 1st and 20th, and generally between the 4th and 

 the 14th. Individual hens sometimes commence 

 laying to a day annually. As a very distinct 

 exception, however, where, from the bird's notice- 

 ably small size and a similar pattern of egg both 

 years, I had every reason for supposing that the 



