1 88 Wild Life in Wales 



their presence in any way. And, it may just be added, the 

 owl usually sits on a quite unprotected nest, in full view of 

 any passing Rook, and sometimes within a few feet of an 

 occupied rook's nest. 



The fact is that Crows are really much more inclined to 

 sociable habits, by nature, than we are often disposed to 

 admit. They cannot strictly, perhaps, be said to be 

 gregarious during the breeding season, one couple generally 

 resenting the too close approach of another ; but, where 

 suitable trees were rather scarce, I have seen as many as a 

 dozen nests, all containing either eggs or young, congregated 

 together in a not very large plantation. In one case there 

 was a Crow sitting upon eggs in one tree, while in a nest of 

 the previous year in an adjoining one were recently hatched 

 Brown Owls. In some of the higher glens of Merioneth- 

 shire, where a few scattered alders, or mountain ashes, are 

 the sole remains of the ancient forest, every tree may be 

 seen occupied by a Crow's nest, and to such a spot I have 

 seen as many as ten Crows return in company on a May 

 evening. 



Although sometimes compelled by circumstances to build 

 its nest upon a rock (it has even been known to do so upon 

 the level ground where better accommodation was not 

 available), a Crow seems always greatly to prefer a tree, if 

 it can get one. In Wales this seems to be even more 

 markedly so than in North Britain. No matter how tempt- 

 ing the cliff may appear, in our eyes, so long as there is any 

 kind of a tree, or bush, near it, the attractions of the rock 

 are generally quite lost upon the Crow. Very often the 

 bush may be only a stunted thorn, or mountain ash, a mere 

 apology for a tree, not exceeding five or ten feet in height, 

 and growing upon so steep a bank that the nest can be easily 

 looked into, and almost touched, by walking up a few yards ; 

 but no matter, the Crow seems to think it offers a safer site 

 for its treasure than the beetling cliff above. Conduct like 

 this seems the more inexplicable when, as usually happens, 

 the crows are found to roost upon the rock and not upon the 

 " trees," even in summer. 



In winter, in such situations, a party of Crows may some- 



