BIRDS OF EUROPE AND 

 NORTH AFRICA 



PASSERES. 



Perching birds : 3 toes in front, i behind. 



CORVID^. 



The largest Passeres. Wing with 10 primaries, of which 

 the I St is short, but ahvays longer than primary coverts, and 

 about half the length of 2nd ; nares covered with bristles. 



CORVUS. 



Mostly black with metallic sheen ; nasal bristles prone ; 

 omnivorous ; nest in cliffs or trees, or occasionally on ground ; 

 eggs 4-5, pale bluish or greenish ground colour, blotched or 

 spotted with black or brown. 



Corvus corax corax L. Raven. Fr. Corbeau ; Ger. 

 Kolkrabe ; Ital. Corvo imperiale ; Swcd. Korp. 



^j $ lilack, with steel blue and purple gloss ; throat feathers 

 hackled ; feathers grey at base ; nasal bristles long and stiff, 

 liill, legs and feet black. Wing ^ 400-436, 9 395-420 (W.). 

 Tarsus 63-6S. Bill 62-68, greatest height 31. Young are dull 

 black with throat feathers short and rounded. 



Resident. — Europe generally, including Faroes (" C. c. varius," 

 feather bases whitish and less purple gloss on feathers), Britain, 

 Iceland ("C. c. islandicus," feathers rather greenish tinged), 

 south to Pyrenees, Alps, Apennines, Crete (Meinertzhagen) and 

 possibly Greece ; and in W. Siberia. 



C. corax hispanus Hartert and Kleinschniidt. Rather smaller, 

 wing not exceeding 430 ; throat hackles very short. Intermediate 



A 



