58 



THE BIRDS OF lONA AND MULL. 



Crow hatches most faithfully; only they must be removed 

 immediately from the nest, before the foster-mother has time to 

 »^^ I N\ V f^troy her spur-ipus brood. I have so far 

 ;i,^ , .^ s^\ Ns^ K ^^' • ^ -vv-i^nessed thi§ .e^pe^ment. 



that four small Hen's — 



eggs, which I placed in a nest, were 

 most faithfully covered by the Crow for ten days, when unfor- 

 tunately they were taken away by a mischievous boy. A much 

 more cruel trick is that of boiling the eggs hard to prevent their 



