BEHIND THE VEIL IN BIRDLAND 



clutch, but must simply loot every nest they can find, and these 

 in their turn send their friends to the haunt. However, last 

 nesting season the Ravens were fairly successful, and, during a few 

 days spent amongst them, I saw, or obtained records of, sixteen 

 young birds which had left their nests. 



The Raven is very much attached to its old haunts, and uses 

 the same nest year after year. It often happens that one pair of 

 birds will have two nests, and they use these alternately. If the 

 nest is robbed, the birds will sometimes build another nest in a 

 much less accessible place, and some of the nests on the Welsh 

 cliffs have been in exceedingly difficult places, which only a clever 

 and experienced climber could reach. Although I have seen a 

 great many nests, I have only found about three that it was 

 possible successfully to photograph. 



When the nest contains young, the hen is a bold bird ; I 

 have never known her actually to strike an intruder, but I have 

 seen her exceedingly angry, and I well remember one which made 

 a wild swoop at my head, and she almost succeeded in hitting it. 



6SW 



74 



