554 CORVUS MONEDULA. 



The secondary quills ten, broad, obliquely rounded with a 

 minute acumen. The tail is straight, rounded, of twelve 

 broad rounded feathers. 



The bill and feet are black. The irides gi-eyish- white. 

 The uj^per and forepart of the head is black, with purplish- 

 blue reflections ; the parts about the eye and the throat are 

 blackish, tinged with grey ; the ear- coverts, hind part and 

 sides of the neck bluish-grey. The rest of the plumage is 

 greyish-black, on the lower parts approaching to leaden grey ; 

 the wings and tail black, the primary quills, alula, and the tail 

 glossed with green, the secondary quills with purple. 



Length to end of tail 14^ inches ; extent of wings 30 ; wing 

 from flexure 10; tail 5| ; bill along the back 1^, along the 

 edge of lower mandible H ; tarsus lj% ; first toe y^^, its claw Si 

 twelfths ; second toe 10^ twelfths, its claw 5^ twelfths; third 

 toe 1/ij, its claw 7i twelfths; fourth toe i%, its claw 5i 

 twelfths. 



Female. — The female difl'ers so little from the male that 

 one can scarcely determine the sex without internal inspection ; 

 the light grey on the neck is not so pure or extended, but the 

 plumage in every other respect is similar. 



Length to end of tail 14 inches ; extent of wings 28 ; w^ing 

 from flexure 9f ; tail 5^% ; bill along the back 1^^^, along the 

 edge of lower maixdible l/g ; tarsus 1/^ ; first toe jS, its claw 

 9i twelfths ; second toe ^§, its claw j% ; third toe 1 inch two 

 and a half twelfths, its claw 6f twelfths ; fourth toe 1, its 

 claw j%. 



Variations. — Individuals vary a little in size, the largest 

 being fifteen inches long, or a little more, the smallest fourteen, 

 or a little less ; but I have not seen any so short as 12f, the 

 measurement given by Mr. JenjTis and Montagu. White in- 

 dividuals have been seen ; sometimes the plumage is variegated 

 or patched with white ; but these variations are so rare that 

 one may look after white Jackdaws for twenty years without 

 finding one. The recent plumage is more highly glossed, but 

 the moult eftects no other change. 



