i7 
Height. — The distance from the ground at which the nest is placed, 
varies from four to over one hundred feet. Where the birds .are unmolest¬ 
ed, they build remarkably near the ground for so large and naturally sus¬ 
picious a bird. Where they are persecuted and continually hunted, the 
instinct of self-preservation, with which they are most certainly highly 
endowed, prompts them to build in practically inaccessible trees, in many 
cases. Such trees as shellbark hickory, sycamore, large crooked black 
oaks, trees over-looking precipices or deep water, are often very difficult 
to climb, and the Crows often build their nests at a great height in these 
trees. Where the bird chooses an uninhabited island, an unfrequented 
swamp or the deep woods for breeding purposes, the nest is usually placed 
much nearer the ground than it would otherwise be. On the whole, man¬ 
kind exercises more influence over this than is generally known. The 
average height throughout the country is about forty-five feet Minne¬ 
sota, North Dakota, Manitoba are but thinly settled, and the average 
height from the ground is found to be only twenty feet. The soil of the 
Eastern states is in a high state of cultivation, an 4 the New England 
farmer looks with an unkindly eye at the depredations of this black- 
feathered bird. His search for food is interpretated as a raid which must 
be resisted by force of arms ; hence the bird becomes shyer and builds as 
high up as it is possible to do. The data before me gives an average of 
sixty feet above the ground. 
Construction. — Mr. Lynds Jones, Oberlin, Ohio, says: "The time 
taken in building the nest varies with the weather, and that is seldom 
constant in March or April. I have known a nest to have been begun and 
completed within a week, in fair weather. But the birds are not constantly 
at work ; theirs’ is a very short working day of not over four hours. In 
bad weather I have known a nest to be three weeks in building.” The 
following interesting table has been deducted from the very full notes 
furnished me by Mr. Harvey C. Campbell, Lansingburg, N. Y. It is to be 
understood that in the dates given for second sets, in all cases where the 
eggs were incubated, allowance has been made to give the dates of fresh 
and completed sets. With numbers i, 3, and 4 the actual dates on which 
they were taken are given, and it is by no means certain that the last egg 
was deposited on these dates ; quite probable a day had intervened. 
■ 15 days. 
MO 
DA. 
XT \ 1 st set. 
No. 1 . - , . 
1 2nd set. 
April 
19 /. 
May 
4 ' 
NT \ 1 st set. 
/ 2nd set. 
April 
May 
l 7 1 
1 f 
, T \ 1 st set. 
No. 3 . - , 
■ / 2nd set. 
April 
17 1 
May 
1 1 
14 days. 
