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CORVlDiE. 
one appear in any tree, they are I believe the erections of different 
years, or are not tenanted at the same time. In wooded glens 
and other localities, where the Conifer a bore a very small propor- 
tion to the deciduous trees, I have remarked the partiality of this 
bird for building in the pine. Mr. W. M'Calla, of Roundstone, 
states, that “ the grey crow is very common in Connemara, and 
breeds in all the wooded islands of the lakes, in other woods and 
thickets, and even in thorn-bushes in the vicinity of houses : it 
lays from three to five eggs* These birds are not accused of 
doing much harm to the keepers of poultry, the dead animal 
matter, at all seasons on the shore, supplying abundance of food.” 
He further remarks, “ that in the upper part of Roundstone bay, 
they may be observed picking up the Buccinum boreale , rising 
with them into the air, and then letting them fall on the rocks to 
break them : in which they are frequently unable to succeed, and 
have to drop the shell from a height in the air several times, before 
attaining their object.” Mr. R. Ball has seen one of these birds 
drop a cockle ( Cardium edule ) on a stone to break it, while another 
stood cunningly by to snatch up the prey, and succeeded in the theft. 
All this is but a counterpart of what is related by Dr. Fleming in 
his Philosophy of Zoology, as having been observed by him in 
Zetland. I have myself repeatedly witnessed t the mere act 
of its rising into the air with shell-fish and letting them drop on 
rocks. This bird is useful on the sea-sliore by consuming any 
animal matter cast by the tide upon the beach ; but is looked upon 
by the gamekeeper as an evil-doer, is accused of sucking the eggs 
of game, and of occasionally destroying the infant brood. Accord- 
ingly it is persecuted. A pair of grey crows was believed to have 
sucked a dozen or more eggs in a wild-ducFs nest in the aquatic 
* Six nests were built last season in trees, four of which were pines, in a demesne of 
about sixty acres, near Cork. They were ascended to early in April, for the sake of 
the eggs, three to five in number. The nests were composed of sticks, and lined with 
wool and hair. (Mr. R. Warren, junr.) 
•f In Leigh’s Natural History of Lancashire, &c., it is remarked of the “ sea crow 
(C. cornix ). Its food for the most part is muscles, and’ I have often with admiration 
observed these birds to pick up pebble- stones, and then to soar with them in the air 
to a considerable height, then to let fall the stones among the beds of shell-fishes, 
which most commonly break some of them : they afterwards alight and feed upon 
their prey,” p. 158. 
