530 CORVUS CORNIX. 



same as those of the species just mentioned. The bill is almost 

 precisely similar, or, if different at all, it is perhaps not quite so 

 robust. It is rather long, deep, and nearly straight ; the 

 upper mandible with its dorsal outline arcuato-declinate, the 

 ridge obtuse but narro\Y, the sides convex, the edges sharp, 

 direct, slightly arched towards the end, with a very slight notch 

 close to the declinate rather obtuse tip ; the lower mandible 

 has the angle medial, of moderate \\ddth, rather acute, the dor- 

 sal line slightly convex, the sides erect and slightly convex, 

 towards the tip sloping outwards, the edges sharp and slightly 

 inflected, the tip rather acute. 



Internally the upper mandible is concave and longitudinally 

 marked with seven prominent lines and intermediate broad 

 shallow grooves ; the lower deeply concave, with a prominent 

 central line. The palate is flat, the posterior aperture of the 

 nares narrow and edged with small papillae. The tongue ob- 

 long, emarginate and papillate at the base, flat above, thin- 

 edged, horny, its point slit. 



The eyes are of moderate size, the eyelids feathered, with 

 narrow crenate margins. The nostrils roundish, concealed by 

 the feathers. The aperture of the ears round, of moderate 

 size. 



The tarsi are covered anteriorly with nine scutella, posterior- 

 ly with two plates meeting at an acute angle. The toes are of 

 moderate size ; the first, which is about the same length as the 

 second and fourth, but much stronger, has nine scutella, the 

 second eight, the third ten, the fourth twelve ; each of the an- 

 terior toes having moreover three basal scales. The claws are 

 arched, compressed, rather acute, flat beneath, that of the middle 

 toe with an inner sharp edge, those of the first and second ob- 

 scurely grooved on the sides. 



The plumage is moderately full, soft, the dark-coloured parts 

 compact and highly glossed, the grey softer and less glossy. 

 On each side of the base of the upper mandible, extending be- 

 yond the nostrils, are stiff" bristly adpressed reversed feathers 

 with short discrete filaments ; and there are similar but shorter 

 feathers at the base of the lower mandible. Bristles at the 

 commencement of the gape strong and deflected. The feathers 



