1 92 1,] Breeding Birds of Crete. 1.27 



The Cretans are charming and ver}- helpful, more especially 

 the sheplierds o£ Mount Ida, whose evil reputation I em- 

 phaticallv deny. They are robbers by nature and are a law 

 unto themselves, but it one appreciates that spirit of freedom 

 and contem|)t tor th(» soft civilization of plenty, they rank as 

 nature's foremost gentlemen. The chieftain of Ida, one 

 George Nikolokakis, though doubtless a thorn in the side of 

 the (*retan ])olice and the officials, was kindness itself to me, 

 and I look back to his rough kind face and his imperious 

 manners, with a desire to accept his kind invitation to stop 

 with him for a com|»lete summer. 



Though I speak not a word of modern Greek, my derelict 

 knowledge of ancient Greek was most useful. It was 

 pleasant to hear the Cliukar called '' Caccaba," the Vultures 

 " Gyps," the Ravens " Mavro Corax," the Larks " C^ory- 

 dallos," the Nightingale " ^don," the Swallow " T^helidon," 

 and the Eagle " mio^r 



Finally, I must again thank Dr. Hartert for the nngrudgino- 

 help he always gives me at Tring, and Lord Rothschild for 

 allowing me to make every use of his collection. 



Specimens were obtained of every species mentioned, 

 unless it is stated to the contrary. Wing-measurements 

 taken flat, culmen-measurements from the junction of upper 

 mandible and skull. 



Corvus corax corax (L.). 



Two yoni]g males oljtained, both moulting into adult 

 plumage. They belong to the typical race, there being no 

 trace of the oily blue on the wing-coverts or brown on the 

 upper parts as in C. c. laurenrei. 



It seems doubtful whether the Ravens of eastern Greece 

 are C. r. Jaurencei, as stated by Reiser (Orn. Balcan. iii.). 

 Gengler (J. f. 0. April 1919) thinks they are some un- 

 described race, but the few I have seen mvself in Greece 

 are the typical race as in Crete [cf. also Stresemann, Avif. 

 Macedon. p. 1). 



The Raven is to be seen at all elevations in Crete, breeding 

 in the hills apparently in ]\Iarch, 



