96 FIELD-STUDIES OF RARER BIRDS 



female was the same, on March 10th, 1906, I 

 examined a nest containing six nearly fresh eggs, 

 whereas on the same date the following year, I 

 found in the same cliff, and not thirty feet from 

 last year's home, an eyrie holding five newly- 

 hatched Ravens, and two unhatched eggs. This 

 bird must have begun laying about February 10th, 

 but then the weather had been extremely hard ; 

 for it is a noticeable, not to say strange, fact that, 

 in hard springs (or, rather, late winters) Ravens 

 are apt to be forward with their domestic affairs, 

 in open seasons, backward. 



Late in January, or early in February, an 

 ancient nest is frequently taken in hand, or a new 

 one started, though in really northern latitudes 

 the event is usually postponed for fully another 

 fortnight. Sometimes, for no ostensible reason, 

 since they have already several serviceable structures 

 awaiting repair, a patriarchal couple will suddenly 

 begin the erecting of an entirely new home, which 

 is completed in a long fortnight ; but an old one 

 is patched up in a week or ten days, sometimes 

 in less. In any case, however, it may, after 

 completion, remain empty for some little while. 



When the nest is or rather was in a tree, 

 one was usually chosen which commanded a wide 

 look-out. It might be in a wood, a plantation, a 

 clump, or even in an isolated forest giant, and the 

 nest itself was securely built in one of the highest 

 available forks. I have one such nest in mind in 



