The Raven 



of red flannel thereupon ensuing is faultless from a technical standpoint. 

 April is the nesting month for Ravens in coastal California, but 

 interior breeding ranges come on earlier, in February even. In ranges 

 subject to considerable persecution, or, let us confess, oological attention, 

 the Ravens learn to avoid the habitual season. On one famous trip, 

 April 10-20, 1916, through country much "shot over," we located 

 nineteen pairs of Ravens. Of these, five pairs loitered over unfinished 

 nests, six boasted young in various stages up to the flying point, and from 

 the lot we gleaned only two perfect sets of fresh eggs. We felt, clearly, 

 that we were being outwitted by the birds, and especially when one of 

 them fled scornfully from a tree-top, a white oak, in which she had hidden 



Taken in Kern County Photo by the Author 



"THE COLUMBARIUM" 



FALCONS AND RAVENS HAVE NESTED IN THESE CRANNIES FOR AGES 



a nestful of babies. In an experience covering some scores of nests, 

 this was the only example of a tree-nesting Raven. I am told, however, 

 that they do nest in trees in Mendocino and Del Norte Counties, where 

 they are also exceptionally common. 



*4 



