292 Mr. W. H. St. Quintin,


two eggs within three weeks of the arrival of the new bird. I

think there can be no doubt whatever that had the new bird been

an acclimatised specimen and in breeding condition, the female

would have laid a full clutch, which he would have incubated.



RAVENS BREEDING IN CAPTIVITY.


By W. H. St. Quintin, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U.


I picked up two Ravens in London in the spring of last

year, and thought that I had secured a pair, for the birds differed

considerably in size, and were excellent friends. However a

third was given to me a few mouths later by a kind friend, and

though a large Raven, I at once saw from its slender build and.

much less powerful beak, that this, at any rate, w'as a hen. Soon

after Christmas, it was evident that the new comer had made a

match of it with the big bird, and the lesser one had such an

uncomfortable time that I was glad to find it a peaceful home

elsewhere.


In the middle of February I fixed up a large flat basket in

a corner of the aviary where the Ravens were kept, and broke

up a faggot of larch twigs upon it, and supplied freely birds,

cockroaches, wool, and moss (the latter was never used). The

birds soon made up their minds, and set to work with such

energy that in a week the nest was ready for eggs.


We kept the aviary very quiet, as the female Raven was

rather timid, and I cannot give the exact date at which incuba¬

tion commenced. I had to leave home on March ioth, and the

Raven was sitting close. As events turned out I believe that I

made a mistake in leaving instructions that, as soon as young

were heard, the parents were to be plentifully supplied with

small young rabbits, which the keepers, at the time, were killing

down ; and such Sparrows and mice as could be procured, and I

regret now that their diet was not varied with a more nourishing

rdgime, for I believe that the young in consequence suffered.


Anyhow, when I returned in the third week of April I

found that, though there were two noisy, and otherwise



