AVES. 



75 



141. Garnilus atricapilhis. Isid. Geoffr. St. Hilaire. Et. Zool., fasc. i. 

 Syrian Jay. Arab., Jj^, ' Akak (the name elsewhere of the Magpie). 



The Jay is very common in all the olive-groves from Lebanon to 

 Hebron, and equally so in the true forests of Gilead and Bashan. It 

 seemed to have increased greatly in numbers between 1S64 and 1881. In 

 its note and habits it in no way differs from the European Jay. It never 

 descends into the Jordan valley. 



The Syrian Jay is confined to Syria and the northern hills of Persia. 

 In Asia Minor and the Taurid it is represented by a very closely allied 

 species, G. krynicki. 



142. Corvus vwncdiila. Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 156. The Jackdaw. 

 Arab., jjls, Kak. 



The Jackdaw is very numerous in certain localities, and absent in 

 others, as we note in England. There are populous colonies at Jerusalem 

 and Nablus. Elsewhere it is scarce and local. 



In the Jordan valley and in Gilead the place of our Common Daw is 

 taken by the silvery white-necked variety, described by Drummond as 

 Corvus coUaris. While I quite agree with Mr. Dresser in declining to 

 give specific value to this variety, it is worthy of note that there is here 

 a distinct geographical line of demarcation between the two races or 

 varieties. 



The Jackdaw is found throughout Europe and Barbary, and reaching 

 to Asia Minor, the Caucasus, and Palestine. It is only in Northern 

 Persia, in what is in fact really Armenia, that the Jackdaw is found, and 

 this is about its Eastern limit, though Jerdon states it is found in 

 Cashmere. Other closely allied species take its place in Eastern 

 Asia. 



143. Corznis agricola. Tristram. P. Z. S., 1864, p. 444. Syrian Rook. 



The Rook of Palestine is intermediate between our species, C. friigi- 

 legiis, Linn., and the Chinese, C. pasiinator, Swinh. The head of the 

 Chinese bird is glossed with purple, of the English with blue-black, of the 

 Palestine with green-black. The latter very rarely has the forehead, 

 throat, and chin denuded, as in the English adult. In this it seems to 



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