326 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
over the land, as far as I could judge, but time and again sitting 
in one or other of the trees of the row, in more or less close 
proximity to the home one, sometimes flying from one to another 
till within a tree or two of it, but always floating away again, 
generally downwards, evidently on to the ground, though my 
position never allowed me to see her settle. Once or twice she 
was joined by her mate, but not for long. Both were very 
silent. Only once (or twice perhaps) I heard a subdued croak 
or two, but this was not very near, and may have been uttered 
by another bird. From the above observations I have no doubt 
that the nest was empty all this time. I might have tested it, 
but dislike all obtrusion into what I am watching. 
April 27th.— Watched the nest for about half an hour in the 
afternoon, during which time it was neither left nor visited by 
either of the birds. One of them kept about in the neighbour- 
hood, but I cannot say whether the nest was empty or not. It 
would seem, therefore, that incubation is still proceeding. 
April 29th.—In the morning I watched the nest for a time 
sufficient to make sure that the eggs are not yet hatched. I saw 
neither of the birds, though one of them was very probably sitting. 
The nest is visible from the road by which I cycle to get to it. 
This afternoon, therefore, I fixed my eyes upon it, as I passed 
along this road, and had the luck to see the bird fly off it, being 
then about 6.40. Had the other bird first flown up, and had 
there been a change on the nest, I should have seen this just as 
plainly, but such was not the case any more than on other 
occasions. It was a solitary departure, and the nest was left 
empty, though I stayed for a little to make sure of this. It is 
becoming more and more plain that one of these two Crows is 
alone incubating. I have now seen the sitting bird leave the ~ 
nest three times, each time on a different day and ata different 
hour—once, namely, at 5.4 a.m., once at 8.35 a.m., and this last 
time at 6.40 p.m.—and there has not, on any of these occasions, 
been a change on the nest, though, on the first, there was what 
might very well have been mistaken for one—a visit, namely, 
and quick succeeding departure of the visiting, not of the sitting, 
bird. The latter, indeed, followed almost immediately, but the 
nest was left empty. Three times is certainly not very many, 
yet if the male really shared in the duties of incubation there 
