ROUND ABOUT THE HOMESTEADS. 23 



of some kind, and the bigger the cavity the 

 bigger the nest will be. In some cases where 

 the hole is small the merest rudiments of a nest 

 will be found ; but where it is made in a more 

 spacious cavity a vast collection of sticks is accu- 

 mulated. The nest proper is made of turf, dry 

 grass, and moss, and lined with wool and feathers. 

 The eggs are four or five in number, pale bluish 

 green in ground colour, spotted and blotched 

 with various shades of brown and gray. We 

 shall meet with the Jackdaw again in our rambles 

 across the fields (see p. 85). 



Although during the breeding season it is 

 only found amongst the rocks of the Highlands, 

 the HOODED CROW (C. comix) deserves passing Northern 

 notice. In more southern haunts he is a bird of Astern, 

 autumn and winter only, and then frequents the winter. 

 coasts, where we shall notice his habits at that 

 season (see p. 244). For the present we will be 

 content with a peep at his domestic arrangements. 

 At all seasons this bird is more gregarious than 

 its cousin the Carrion Crow, with whom it 

 habitually intermarries, especially abroad. His 

 hoarse era or carruck may often be heard in 

 springtime from the beetling storr rocks and 

 rugged glens. He pairs for life, and makes his 

 bulky nest either on a platform of the rocks or 

 even in a tree near by on the steep hillsides. 

 The nest is very similar to that of the Rook, 

 made of sticks, turf, grass, moss, wool, hair, and 

 feathers, and the four or five eggs are absolutely 

 indistinguishable from those of that species, being 

 greenish blue or pale green in ground colour, 

 variously spotted and blotched with greenish 

 brown and gray. This bird is readily identified 



