28 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xiv. 



by waddling a few feet away, making a chattering noise. 

 The male at once picked up a dead stick, and in a few seconds 

 was across and into the nest with it. Nest-lniilding was 

 then again resumed by both ; I saw the male on three other 

 occasions daring nidification act in a similar manner, but 

 without the head nodding and attempted pairing. 



\\'eather seems to have had little effect upon their nest- 

 building activities, for my notes show a succession of gales 

 and storms, and during the whole period of watching these 

 Ravens in February, ]\Iarch and April the wind hardly ever 

 ceased its fury day or night. I have seen them carry sticks 

 in a blinding snowstorm with half a gale of wind blowing ; 

 come up over the ravine and wheel round, Buzzard-like, 

 into the nesting cleft just as calmly as though the sun were 

 shining. On some days they do not leave the cliffs at all, 

 when it is evident that feeding has taken place not very 

 far away. 



During my watching I did not see either bird rob their 

 last year's eyrie of any materials, neither did they settle 

 on it, although the side of the nest protrudes from the 

 horizontal ledge of rock and they passed it closely dozens 

 of times. One morning a Kestrel persistently mobbed both 

 birds on the opposite headland, where, as I have alread}^ 

 pointed out, most of the nesting materials were picked up. 

 As the Raven approached, the Kestrel flew up from his perch 

 on the rocks, swerved and came almost in contact with it, 

 swooping up above and resting for a second in the wind ; 

 then as the huge crow, with dangling legs, poised a yard or 

 so over the headland to pitch, down stooped the Kestrel, 

 dodging under him and away up into the air again. The 

 Raven uttered hoarse, but not very loud, cries and followed 

 the hawk, both dodging and swerving about, the Kestrel 

 always getting clear away without harm. The same thing 

 went on in the afternoon, the Raven apparently enjoying 

 the fun. 



Building ceased on February 22nd, having occupied a 

 period of eighteen days, and on the 25th the first egg was 

 deposited. The nest contained its full complement of four 

 on March ist and incubation certainly commenced with the 

 first egg laid, but not in earnest, for besides the time occupied 

 in feeding, which never took place at the nest, the bird very 

 often vacated the nest for short flights. Thus on March 

 3rd between 7.5 a.m. and 9 a.m. she indulged in five short 

 flights and one of longer duration, the same thing happening 

 again and again throughout the day ; finally at 5.45 she 



