152 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH INLAND BIRDS 
probably owing to the birds being much harried 
and persecuted in this country they seem often 
only to lay three. The eggs are also often of very 
small size, not much larger than a large Carrion 
Crow's, and they rarely seem to reach the fine pro- 
portions and bold markings of specimens from 
such less-disturbed regions as Spain or Greenland. 
They are exactly like Carrion Crows' eggs in mark- 
ing, exhibiting the same variety of types, and the 
Carrion Crow's description and illustrations will 
hold good in all respects except for size. Ravens 
will eat almost anything of an animal nature, alive 
or dead, and are capable of a vegetarian diet at a 
pinch. They are chiefly persecuted in this country 
(apart from collectors' demands for eggs, and pet- 
keepers' for young) on account of their killing 
young lambs, and even sickly ewes, at lambing- 
time on the coast and mountain sheep-farms. 
CARRION CROW. 
{Corvus cor one. ^ 
Corbie Crow. — The Carrion Crow, like the 
Magpie, has been almost exterminated as a breed- 
ing species in some of the more highly preserved 
parts of the country, but it is still fairly well- 
known, or even common, over the greater part of 
