X. 



LOEN, 1st May 1852. 



It is possible that I shall leave this note with my own hands at 

 your address in Glasgow, accompanied by a small box containing 

 a pair of Eed-legged Crows, one skinned and the other simply dis- 

 embowelled and embalmed in the style of an Egyptian mummy. 

 They are remarkably small specimens, and I do not think they 

 were nesting, as I watched them for several days ; however, they 

 are male and female. 



My own particular friends, as I mentioned in my last letter, 

 had completed their labours of nidification, and I supposed that 

 they would immediately commence laying and hatching; but I 

 was much concerned to see them very rarely near their nest, and 

 I picked up some wool (apparently the lining of the nest) upon 

 the floor of the cave. Determined to examine it, I contrived to 

 hoist myself up to the spot with the assistance of a boat's anchor 

 and cable. The nest, beautifully woven of heather sprigs, was 

 unlined and empty. I cannot account for this misfortune ; how- 

 ever, the old birds still haunt the vicinity of the cave, and 

 furiously resent any intrusion near it ; and possibly they may 

 make another attempt at nesting this year. 



I also send you a few Hooded Crow's eggs ; these were 

 replaced by a pair of Bantam's eggs daubed with indigo, only one 

 Crow's egg being left. In due time the little Hoody made his 



