21 
forests and woods, from whence they 
occasionally emerge to. procure subsist- 
ence for themselves and infant brood. 
Their nest is generallyplaeed in the forked 
branch of a tree; it is composed of sticks 
plastered with earth, on which are laid 
various soft materials, such as wool and 
hair. In this nest the female deposits four 
or five eggs of a greenish colour, spotted 
with dusky and ash-colour. 
BufFon observes that "their chief food 
in the spring, is Partridges' eggs, of which 
they are very fond, and are so dexterous 
as to pierce them, and carry them on the 
point of their beak to their young." 
J)uring the time of incubation, the male 
supplies the female with food. These 
birds, like the Raven, feed on putrid flesh 
of all sorts, as well as on worms, insects 
and various kinds of grain; like that bird, 
they will sometimes pick out the eyes of 
Jambs when just dropped. They also do 
much mischief in rabbit warrens, by killing 
and devouring the young rabbits, and the 
young of chickens and ducks do not 
