BLACK BIRDS. 3 



the wilder hill-country inland. It is in such neigh- 

 bourhoods that they are mostly seen, feeding on 

 garbage cast up by the sea, soaring high up in air, 

 disporting themselves in flight before the cliflf-face, or 

 ranging inland for eggs, young birds, ground vermin 

 or carrion, and even attacking lambs and weakly 

 sheep. The birds go usually alone or in pairs, and 

 the cry is a deep, hoarse croak. 



ROOK — 19 inches ; whitish featherless tract at base of bill. 

 JACKDAW — 14 inches ; bill short ; nape gray. 

 CARRION CROW— 19 inches ; like a smaJZer Raven. 

 HOODED CROW— 19 inches; body ash-gray. 

 CHOUGH— 16 inches ; red bill and feet. 



None of these birds has the conspicuous loosely hanging 

 feathers at the throat present in the Raven. 



CARRION CROW. — Form, like the Hooded Crow 

 (plate 8). Length, 19 inches. Plumage entirely 

 lustrous black ; bill and legs also black. Resident. 



Eggs. — 4-6, bluish-green, blotched and spotted 

 with olive-brown; 1"7 x 1'2 inch (plate 121). 



Nest. — With a large base of sticks and twigs, lined 

 with wool and hair, placed on cliffs or in trees. 



Distribution. — Southern England and Wales, Lake 

 District and Cheviots, Scotland as far north as Perth- 

 shire ; very rare in Ireland. Large autumn migration 

 from Continent to east coast of Great Britain. 



The Carrion Crow goes usually alone or in pairs, 

 though at times the bird packs to feed and roost like 

 Rooks. Unlike the Rook, however, which has a 

 whitish face-patch, the Carrion Crow has the face 



B 



