. British birds. Birds. OTES LATE NESTING OF RAVENS. ^^'HILE showing an eyry of a Raven {Corvus c. corax) to some friends on July 9th, 1917, I was surprised to find it still occupied by '" ravelets," the date being more than two months beyond their regular time of fledging. Thus, in another nest this spring, the 3'oung were cpiite read}^ to fly on Maj^ 6th, and I have other records a week or more earlier than that. The shepherd explained the unusual lateness of these yoimg by teUing me that a pre\dous brood had been " perished " by the severe weather in April, snow and hard
. British birds. Birds. OTES LATE NESTING OF RAVENS. ^^'HILE showing an eyry of a Raven {Corvus c. corax) to some friends on July 9th, 1917, I was surprised to find it still occupied by '" ravelets," the date being more than two months beyond their regular time of fledging. Thus, in another nest this spring, the 3'oung were cpiite read}^ to fly on Maj^ 6th, and I have other records a week or more earlier than that. The shepherd explained the unusual lateness of these yoimg by teUing me that a pre\dous brood had been " perished " by the severe weather in April, snow and hard frost continuing throughout the whole month in the hill-countrj\ If this ex]ilanation was correct, it is an occurrence quite outside all previous experience, for so hardy are young Ravens by nature that no severit}^ of chmate seems to affect them. For example, I remember in 1915 seeing a brood newh'-hatched on March 18th and during the same afternoon there set in one of the most severe snoA\-bIizzards we have exjierienced for many years at that season. Locally two human lives (besides countless sheep) Avere lost: yet the little naked Ravens survived it all right. The degree of frost this year, however, was quite exceptionall}^ great for April. The maximum of 26° was recorded during that month and that at only 350 ft. above sea-level. At the altitude of the Ravens' eyry (about 2000 ft.) the temperature would pre- sumabl}^ have been well below zero. Abel Chapman. ROCK-PIPITS INLAND IN NORD, FRANCE. On November 3, 1916, I was surprised to see a Rock-Pipit in a low-lying meadoAv at Nieppe, near Armentieres, Nord, France. A few days later I met with the sj)ecies again near Meteren, west of Bailievil. Both these jilaces are some 35 miles from the nearest point of the coast. Of course I cannot say Avhether the}- were A. -s. petrosus or A. s. littoralis. C. J. Alexander. WAXWINGS IN SOMERSET. Two Waxwngs {BombyciUa garrulus) were shot on the main road between Westbury and Easton, in
Size: 1481px × 1687px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherl, booksubjectbirds
