032 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
settled in some neighbouring trees, and, getting too near to 
another Magpie’s, were vigorously attacked by the owners. 
Further on they met with the same reception from a Jay. 
May 5th.—Got down at 5.20a.m. The Crows were about, 
and I saw them into some trees a good way off before taking my 
place. Yet when I had taken it, I observed them in their 
accustomed ones near by, but they did not appear to have noticed 
me. They then went down on the potato land, and the first visit 
to the nest was not made till about 6. It was a single one, and 
so were six others between then and 6.45. At 7.25 and 7.27 
there were two more such visits, then a double one at 7.32, and 
a single one again, at 7.84—building been still in progress when 
I left my place a few minutes afterwards, and when I started to 
return at 8.5 or so. In all but the first visit or two, when it 
was sticks, the birds carried little bundles of soft stuff—dry grass 
it looked like—so that they must now be lining the nest. By a 
double visit I mean that both birds came together, or nearly so, 
and were on the nest at the same time. Some of the single ones 
were made by the two birds alternately, but, as a rule, I could 
not tell if this were so. My notion is that whilst the male, 
equally with the female, brings and places the materials, the 
latter stays longer and does most of the actual architecture. At 
any early stage in the building the Crows were attacked by the 
Magpie that I had first seen them engaged with—the male, as 
I believe, who acts as sentry—so that I saw the latter and one of 
them tumbling through the air in a grapple. This was close by 
the nest of the Magpie, but, further than this, I did not see the 
actual origin of the fracas. I have no doubt, however, from their 
general conduct, that the Crows had merely come inadvertently 
too close to the nest without any idea of interfering with it. 
They often retaliated after this by attacking and chasing away 
the Magpie, but it was the offensive-defensive strategy, nor are 
they so redoubtable as the latter, who shows both superior vigour 
and greater activity. At 3 p.m. I was in my place in the hazel- 
bush again, but saw nothing further. In coming up I had 
startled the birds, who were in a tree a little to one side of the 
dingle. They went off with loud ‘‘arrrs,” and did not return 
whilst I was there. 
May 10th.—This evening, at ten minutes past 7, I saw one 
