540 



10 



slaughter-houses, and is exceedingly daring and impudent in stealing any pieces of meat that 

 are thrown out. Entrails are its especial delight ; and I have often watched several tugging and 

 tearing at a lot of half-rotten entrails that have been cast out as useless. It will sometimes 

 dispute with the smaller species of Hawks for their prey, and even take their quarry from them. 

 Pastor Snell states that several together have been known to drive a Goshawk off from its prey. 

 During the winter- season, when deep snow covers the ground, the Crows often undergo great 

 privations, and are then compelled to feed on berries. Pastor Snell states that they then eat 

 the berries of the dog-rose (Bosa canina), of the thorn (Cratcegus oocyacantha), and of the rowan 

 (Sorbus aucujxzria), and when driven by hunger will come to the poultry-yards and dispute with 

 the poultry and pigeons for the food thrown out to them. 



Unlike the Rook, the Crow is rather a solitary bird, except where there is a good supply of 

 food, when several may be seen in company. Its flight is direct and usually not very swift, 

 being performed by regular flaps of the very fully outstretched wings ; but when urging forward, 

 it can fly at a considerable speed. It walks with ease, like the Raven ; and its cry or croak is 

 something like the note of that bird, but clearer, and neither so loud nor so harsh. It breeds early 

 in the year, about the same time as the Raven, and places its nest in a tree or sometimes in the 

 rocks, usually in a place somewhat difficult of access. The nest is bulky, constructed externally 

 of sticks and twigs generally in a half-rotten state ; and the internal portion is first composed of 

 slender twigs carefully interlaced, the larger interstices being filled up with fresh mould ; and 

 then the inner lining is constructed of wool and hair, or sometimes a little moss is added ; at 

 least I have found this latter in one or two nests I have examined. The eggs, from four to six 

 in number, are oval, somewhat elongated in shape, in ground-colour pale bluish green or dull 

 blue-green with an olive tinge, and are more or less spotted and blotched with purplish grey 

 underlying shell-markings and light or dark brown surface-blotches, some being very closely 

 marked, whereas others are but slightly spotted. In size they are similar to those of the 

 common Hooded Crow. 



In the article on the Hooded Crow I referred to the fact that in localities where both 

 species occur they not unfrequently interbreed ; and I then stated that all the young hybrid 

 birds which I had seen bore a resemblance to both parents, having the characteristics of a true 

 hybrid. This, however, is not always the case, as is clearly demonstrated by Mr. J. Lumsden, 

 jun., to whom I am indebted for the following notes: — "On the 18th of April this year (1874), 

 our gamekeeper told me that he had on the previous day found a Crow's nest in a high Scotch 

 fir on the edge of a moor, and had seen both old birds flying about, one being, he was quite sure, 

 a grey Crow, and the other a black one. Having got this information I started off with him at 

 once to see the nest. As we got within two gunshots of the tree the old female (Hooded Crow) 

 flew off and rose croaking above our heads. She was at once joined by the male (Carrion-Crow) ; 

 and as the two birds flew round us I could distinctly see that the keeper was right — that the 

 one bird was grey, and the other black. After this I visited the nest every few days, and had 

 frequent opportunities of identifying the birds. At first the female was very wild and left the 

 nest long before we were within shot of her, but always soared above us in circles, getting higher 

 and higher each time, her cries bringing the male — who invariably came in the same direction, 

 over the shoulder of the hill at the foot of which the tree with the nest stood. After she had 



