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in covering the eggs with leaves when away from the nest. The 

 writer has in two instances found fresh eggs of tlie crow carefully 

 covered with dead leaves, and in one case the birds appeared soon 

 after the nest was reached. Mr. F. A. Bates mentions a similar 

 instance. The eggs vary in number from three or four to seven, 

 and in color from a light, unspotted green or greenish-blue to a 

 darker hue, thickly covered with heavy brown and dusky spots. 

 There is a great variation also in the size of the eggs. Probably 

 only one brood is usually reared, but if the first nest is destroyed 

 the crow will buiki another, and where this is repeated, young 

 fledgling crows are sometimes seen early in August. 



The situation of the nest varies according to locality. When 

 the nests and eggs are destroyed by man the crow soon learns to 

 nest high. The tree chosen is usually a large conifer, the white 

 pine being a favorite. Where it is not molested it will sometimes 

 nest within a few feet of the ground. Mr. Bailey mentions having 

 found nests at the height of seven or eight feet from the ground, 

 on hemlocks, close to the trunks of the trees. 



The outcry raised by the mother crow when an enemy approaches 

 the nest is usually answered by two other crows, and the writer has 

 frequently seen three crows in the vicinity of the nest. So far as 

 his observation goes, this seems to be the rule. Mr. F. H. Mosher 

 says tliat in south-eastern Massachusetts, where his observations 

 were made, he has always found three adult crows about each nest 

 during both the building of the nest and the rearing of the young. 

 He has frequently noticed tliis even when they were undisturbed. 

 During the building of the nest one would carry most of the 

 sticks and the others would follow back and forth with more 

 sticks. 



Mr. Bailey speaks of an instance where a pair of these birds 

 which were raising young were shot, and another crow fed the 

 young. The female was first shot on the edge of the nest ; a few 

 days later the male was shot at the same place. Seven days later 

 the young were alive and tiourisliing, and a third crow was observed 

 to feed them. These young birds were finally reared. There is 

 usually an excess of male birds, and the presence of bachelor birds 

 in the vicinity of tlie nests may be offered as an explanation of 

 these facts, or polygamy may be possible. This is a phase of the 

 crows' life history which it might be well for some one to investi- 

 gate who can devote the necessary time to the subject. 



The female is said to perform the duties of incubation, but the 

 male bird is a gallant defender and a good provider, exhibiting 

 qualities which are alwaj's commendable in the father of a family. 

 As soon as the young are able to leave the nest, they are sustained, 



