32 corvid.t:. 



(10) Corvus cornix sharpii. 



The Eastek>' Hooded Chow. 



C'orvjis sharpii Oate.?, Aviffiiina of B. I., i, p. 20 (1889) (Siberia). 

 Corvus cornix. Blanf. & Gates, i. p. 19. 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Entire head and neck, the central part of the 

 upper breast, the wings, tail and thighs glossy black ; remainder of 

 the plumage drab-grey ; the shafts of the upper parts black, those 

 of the lower brown. 



The light parts in the Common Hooded Crow are ashy-gvaj of 

 quite a different tint and the races are easily separable. 



Colours of soft parts. Legs and bill black : irides dark brown. 



Measurements. Total length about 480 mm.; wing about 

 320 to 34't mm.; tail about 200 mm.; culmeu 47 to 54 mm.; 

 tarsus about 55 nnn. 



Distribution. Breeding in West Siberia, Turkestan and 

 Afghanistan, and migrating south to the extreme north-west of 

 India, Punjab, Gilgit and the North-West Frontier, liare visitor 

 to Iva'^hmir, where Mr. T. li. Livesej' records seeing it ; this was 

 on Jan. 10th near the Hokra Jheel. The birds of !S.E. Persia 

 seem to be nearer to this race than to C. c. capellanus. 



Nidification. Mr. A. J. Currie obtained what he considered 

 to be this form of Hooded Crow breeding in great numbers in 

 and about Kerman, 8.E. Persia, at considerable elevations. The 

 nests were of sticks, twigs, roots, etc., lined with somewhat finer 

 material and placed in trees both evergreen and deciduous. The 

 eggs number four or five and are laid in early April. They are 

 quite indistinguishable from those of the Common Hooded Crow 

 and measure about 42*2 x 29-(i mm. They vary in coloration 

 to the same extent as all Crows' eggs do. 



Habits. The Hooded Crow has much the same habits as the 

 Carrion-Crow, being shy and frequenting the more barren parts 

 of the countries it inhabits. In addition to eating the usual food 

 of its ally, it is said to feed on grain and to be found in fields 

 searching the ground like the Kook. 



A common wiuter visitor to the exti'eme North-west of India. 



This form of Hooded Crow as well as the European form 

 seems to interbreed freely over part of their northern habitat with 

 the Carrion-Crow. 



Corvus splendens. 



Key to Subspecies. 



A. Difference between grey and black portion 



of plumage well defined C. s. sp/ende/ts, p. 3o. 



B. Pale portions of phnria»e very pale contrast- 



ing strongly with dark C. s. zvymmjeri, p. -M. 



