18 COltVID^. 



with bronze, the hinder part and sides of the neck umber-brown, 

 without any gloss at all ; lores, nasal bristles, and feathers round 

 the eye black ; the ear-coverts and checks brown, like the sides of 

 the neck ; under surface of body brown, glossed with purple on the 

 breast, flanks, abdomen, and under tail-coverts ; feathers of the 

 throat and fore neck long and pointed, brown, vnxh very little blue 

 gloss on some of the plumes ; under wing-coverts and axillarics 

 purplish black ; bill and feet black ; iris vcrj- dark brown. Total 

 length 21 inches, calmen 2-75, wing 15-5, tail 8-G, tarsus 2-75. 



Obs. The distinctive character of this Kaven, viz. the brown head 

 and neck, is more clearly shown in the birds of worn plumage than 

 in newly moulted birds. The differences between it and the common 

 Raven seem, however, to be weU maintained in a series of skins. 

 Great variation exists in the size of the bill, some specimens having 

 a beak as large as that of C. corax ; and one or two of the birds in 

 the iluseum collection have been labelled C. corax in consequence — 

 as, for instance, two from Quetta and another from Ferozepore. 

 both of which I refer to C. umhrinus. They are distinguished 

 clearly by the brown neck, and by the greater extent and purity of 

 the white bases to the feathers, the latter by no means a strongly 

 marked character in any Crow. From the following measiirements 

 it would seem that there are two races of brown-necked Eaven, often 

 inhabiting exactly the same localities, as is the case with Corvm 

 cuhninaius (l)ifennedh(S^ Adams) and CoronelevaUlanti. Should the 

 larger form be considered by ornithologists, as mentioned above, to 

 belong to true C. corax, then I contend that the whole of these 

 birds must be treated as races only of the ordinary Eaven. At pre- 

 sent the constancy of the brown neck seems to be sufficient for the 

 specific separatio]! of C. umhrinus. 



Of the above series the birds from Mesopotamia, Ferozepore, and 

 Quetta seem to be much the largest, C'apt. Shelley's Egyptian speci- 

 men being the only one approaching them. They appear to me to 

 be C. wnhrinus showing an approach towards the true C corax. 

 A much larger series is necessaiy before the whole question can 

 be determined. 



Hah. Egypt and Palestine, eastwards to Afghanistan and !Xorth- 

 westem India. 



