140 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



the telescope. This year the nest contained three young birds 

 and three addled eggs. The former, as usual, remained a long 

 time upon the nesting ledge. I did not see them upon the wing 

 till May 14th, while a week later the second pair showed every 

 indication of still having young in the nest. At the nest Eavens 

 spend much of their time in harmless skirmishing with Buzzards, 

 Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, and Kestrels. If the eggs are fresh, 

 the birds are often perfectly quiet when disturbed, and will go off, 

 allowing the nest to be reached without the slightest protest; 

 but if there are young birds, the male dashes past with puffed-out 

 throat and hoarse note of " pruck, pruck," or, folding one wing, 

 will drop as if shot, turning almost over before he recovers him- 

 self; while the hen bird hurries to and fro, with quickly-beating 

 wings, and note of " croc, croc." One bird has a note of his own, 

 as deep as the tolling of a church-bell. At the end of March, 

 1894, a few days' walking in a new district introduced us to 

 five additional pairs of Eavens. Three of the nests could be 

 inspected from above : the first contained six eggs upon March 

 23rd ; the second, two young ones and four eggs upon the 25th ; 

 the third, five eggs upon the 26th. Upon April 5th I looked 

 across the ravine at Devil's Bridge into a safely-placed nest, 

 which contained about five well-fledged young. Mr. T. J. 

 Waddingham, of Hafod, tells me that two sets of eggs were 

 brought to him by his shepherd, taken from the rocks near 

 Cwm Ystwyth. At Ehayader, the carrying out of the Birmingham 

 Water Works scheme has interfered with several nesting sites, 

 notably the one at Caban Coch, an ideal stronghold, upon the 

 rock marked upon the Ordnance map Craig Gigfran, imme- 

 diately above the great dam of the lower reservoir. Near at 

 hand, travellers by the Wye Valley Eailway pass within a stone's- 

 throw of a nest which overlooks the line. The Eaven is always 

 to be seen upon Cader Idris, its cliffs being tenanted by at least 

 three pairs. It visits the Bird Eock regularly, and would breed 

 there if allowed to do so ; the last attempt having been made four 

 years since. The bold " Cigfran " is well able to hold its own, 

 and is in no danger at present of being exterminated, or even of 

 becoming scarce, in Mid-Wales. 



Carrion Crow, Corvus corone. In the hill districts to a large 

 extent replaces the Eook. Flocks may be seen feeding in ploughed 



