88 Among the Birds in Northern Shires. 



glorious sunsets that canopied the lonely Atlantic. 

 We can also remember how we were cheered by his 

 croak when wandering, lost and hungry and tired 

 out, across the mountain heaths enshrouded in a 

 dense mist between Sligachan and Talisker, just as 

 night was falling, and when, after making up our 

 mind for a night on the hills, we had the good 

 fortune to meet with a shepherd and obtain from 

 him our bearings. For a northern bird the Raven 

 is another early breeder; and it is interesting to 

 remark that there is very little difference between 

 the date of nesting in the extreme south of England 

 and the Highlands, March being the month in both 

 areas. In the Highlands, Ravens' nests are invari- 

 ably destroyed whenever they are accessible; but 

 fortunately the wily birds, in not a few localities, 

 select fissures and rock ledges quite inaccessible 

 save to a winged enemy. A dead sheep or other 

 animal will almost without fail attract Ravens from 

 a large area, and we have on one occasion counted 

 no less than seven on such a carcass, sharing the 

 prize with the Hooded Crow. A keeper friend of 

 ours informed us of a much larger congregation at 

 the body of a dead horse, the birds in time picking 

 the bones of every scrap of flesh. Speaking of 

 Ravens brings us of course to a passing notice of the 

 Hooded Crow. In England we have plenty of 

 Hooded Crows during autumn and winter, especially 



