542 BRITISH BIRDS. 



feed on grain, like the Rook also, when hard pressed for food, on berries. 

 Waterton states that he will feed voraciously on ripe cherries, and in 

 autumn on walnuts. 



The breeding-season of the Carrion-Crow is somewhat late ; and in this 

 respect it differs considerably from the Raven or even the Rook, approaching 

 most closely the Jackdaw. The Raven's eggs are said to be often laid in 

 February, the Rook's in March ; but the Carrion-Crow seldom commences 

 nesting-duties until the latter end of April or beginning of May. It is very 

 probable that this bird pairs for life ; and each season the old nest will be 

 visited and used again, provided the owners are not molested. If one of 

 the birds be destroyed, its partner soon finds a fresh mate. The site for 

 its nest depends considerably on the nature of its haunts. In hilly 

 districts, and in the neighbourhood of the coast, its bulky nest is made in 

 the rocks, usually in the least accessible part. In the wooded districts it 

 selects some tall tree for its purpose, a large oak or pine being very often 

 chosen ; whilst, according to my friend Mr. Labouchere, on the coast of 

 Holland, where trees and rocks are scarce, it often builds its nest upon the 

 ground. The Carrion-Crow will sometimes seek out a nesting-site in a 

 very exposed situation, and although so shy and wary at other times of the 

 year, will in the nesting-season often become most trustful a habit, by 

 the way, also observed in the Missel-Thrush and the Ring-Dove. The 

 nest of the Carrion-Crow is a large structure, well made, and usually, 

 if in a tree, in the topmost branches. From the fact that the nest is 

 added to each season, some of them are remarkably large. It is made of 

 large sticks, usually dead ones, stems of heather, masses of turf, fine twigs, 

 and roots, and lined with wool, moss, dead leaves, fur, feathers, and any 

 soft material the bird can find. In shape it is rather flat ; and the interior 

 is smooth and compact. 



The eggs are from three to six in number, usually five, and are 

 very similar to those of allied birds. They vary from pale bluish green 

 to clear green in ground-colour, spotted and blotched with olive-brown 

 of different shades, with violet-grey underlying spots. They are sub- 

 ject to no small amount of variation. Some specimens are so thickly 

 spotted and blotched as to almost conceal the ground-colour ; others are 

 very sparingly marked. A very handsome egg in my collection is covered 

 with short streaky semiconfluent lines of pale olive-brown, intermingled 

 with similar lines of violet-grey. On some specimens the markings are 

 much darker than on others ; and sometimes a few almost black spots and 

 wavy scratches occur. They are usually well marked; but occasionally 

 specimens are obtained almost spotless, or merely marked with a few 

 yellowish-brown dashes. They vary in length from T8 to 1*5 inch, and 

 in breadth from 1'3 to I'l inch. It is impossible to distinguish the eggs 

 of the Carrion-Crow from those of the Hooded Crow ; but the eggs of 



