Britain's birds and their nests (1910) (14568695650)

Identifier: britainsbirdsthe00thom (find matches)
Title: Britain's birds and their nests
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Thomson, Arthur Landsborough, Sir, 1890- Thomson, J. Arthur (John Arthur), 1861-1933 Rankin, George
Subjects: Birds -- Great Britain Birds -- Nests
Publisher: London : W. & R. Chambers
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library



Text Appearing Before Image:
precipices of theShetland voes, and on some of the Hebridean cliffs, it isalmost common. The Raven is the type of the Crows, which form avery uncharacteristic family of the Passeres. Such largesize and predatory habits are unusual in the Order, andthe Crows, moreover, belong to the small songless section.But the perching feet are present, and there are manyreal structural affinities. Similarities in habit even arenot altogether wanting, and we shall find little unusualin their nesting habits if we make certain allowances. As already indicated, the Raven nests either on cliffs,mountain or maritime, or on trees; but the lattersituation is now rarely resorted to in these islands. Ifthere is an inaccessible ledge on a cliff the Raven willfind it, and those who know the bird well tell us thatit seems to have an eye for the possibilities of a site;in contrast to the Peregrine Falcon, for instance, whichshows little capacity for choosing a site which may biddefiance to human climbing powers.
Text Appearing After Image:
Plate 72. CARRION-C KO\N—CorvHS corone. Length, 19 in. ; wing, 13 in. (Passeres : Corvidge.)2 D 232 BRITAINS BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 233 The nest itself is a large and fairly well-made cup-shaped structure of twigs and heather, lined with wooland fur. The eggs, three to five or more in number,are laid veiy early in the season. From the cabinetpoint of view, at any rate, they are rather disappointing;in colour they resemble those of the commoner Crows—pale blue-green, with darker blotches; and in size theyare not nearly so much larger as one is apt toexpect. The yoimg of the Crow family are of thenormal Passerine type; both the incubation period andthe period spent by the young in the nest are longerthan usual. This is especially the case with youngRavens. Other considerations apart, these periods tendto increase with the size of the bird. A point that we must briefly touch on is the playof the Raven. Many have described its strange aerialantics; how it dives and tumbles at a great