THE CARRION CROW. 87 



wary, shy, and cautious, now, all of a sudden, seems 

 to lose these qualities ; and, regardless of personal 

 danger, sometimes makes his nest within a hundred 

 yards of the habitation of man, upon a tree, at once 

 the most conspicuous and exposed. To us, who 

 know so little of the economy of birds, this seems a 

 strange phenomenon ; nor can any penetration of 

 which we may be possessed enable us to comprehend 

 the true meaning of this change from timidity to 

 boldness, from distance to proximity, from wariness 

 to heedlessness, in so many different species of birds. 

 One would suppose that they would be more shy 

 and distant at this interesting period ; and, in imi- 

 tation of the cat, the rabbit, and the fox, conceal as 

 much as possible the place of their retirement. The 

 rook will sometimes build a poor and slovenly nest, 

 but this is never the case with the carrion crow ; 

 this bird invariably makes its nest firm and compact. 

 A writer, who signs himself A. B. C., in the Maga- 

 zine of Natural History (vol. v. p. 590.), tells us 

 that "some of the nests have such deep beds of 

 wool, moss, and cows' hair, that the eggs seemed 

 quite lost ; and might have given the professor 

 his erroneous idea of their being covered with 

 those substances to keep them warm." O, fie I 

 How is it possible that the eggs should seem quite 

 lost, when the lining on which they lie is so per- 

 fectly smooth that they appear as though they were 

 in a basin. Not a single particle of the lining of the 

 nest is ever seen betwixt the eggs and the eye of 

 him who has ascended the tree to take a view of 

 them. I challenge any naturalist to bring proof 

 G 4 



