CARRION CROW. 
223 
chiefly, sometimes in a thick fir-tree; it is made of sticks, 
strongly cemented together with clay; it is then lined 
with roots, and afterwards with a large quantity of wool, 
the fur of animals, and other soft materials, often two or 
three inches thick. The eggs are four or five in number, 
and greatly resemble those of the raven, the hooded crow, 
and the rook. From those of the rook it is at times very 
difficult to distinguish them ; they are, however, usually 
a good deal larger. They vary much from the deeply- 
coloured egg of the plate to a light tinted variety, similar 
to that of the hooded crow now figured. Some are of 
a light blue, without any spots whatever, marked here 
and there with undertints of grey. I have chosen the 
figures of the plate that they might not only represent 
each its own species, but that of the nearly allied species 
as well. 
In 1832 a pair of these birds took a singular fancy into 
their heads : deserting the habits of their forefathers, and 
the society of their species, they repaired to one of the 
Fern Islands to breed, apparently thus subjecting them¬ 
selves to very great inconvenience. Contrary to their 
usual habits, they built their nest upon the ground, there 
being no trees on the islands; it was of most curious con¬ 
struction, and instead of the sticks of which it is in other 
instances composed, which the neighbourhood would not 
supply, the outside of the nest was formed of small pieces 
of turf, neatly laid upon each other, and formed into a 
compact wall; the space within was lined with a quan¬ 
tity of wool, which was all brought from the mainland, 
at the distance of four or five miles. 
