Xviii INTRODUCTION. 



of the head and anterior part of the body pointed and elongated. Wings 

 long, pointed, with ten primaries ; the first minute and attenuated, the second 

 and third nearly equal and the longest. Tail short, the feathers diverging at 

 the tip. Tarsus scutellate in front covered at the side by an undivided plate, 

 forming a sharp ridge behind ; claws short and moderately curved (p. 217). 



Pastor, Temininck. — ^\\\ moderate, convex above, straight beneath, compressed, 

 the upper mandible notched and slightly decurved. Nostrils basal, partly 

 closed by a membrane covered with small feathers. Feathers on the crown 

 pointed and elongated, forming a crest. Wings as above. Tail moderate, 

 the feathers mostly rounded at the tips. Tarsus scutellate in front, covered 

 at the sides by an indistinctly divided plate, forming a sharp ridge behind ; 

 claws rather more curved than in Sturmis (p. 219). 



Family CORVID.^. 



Pyrrhocorax, Tu'iistaU. — Beak hard, slender, compressed, arched, and pointed. 

 Nostrils basal, hidden by small, closely-set feathers. Wings long and gradu- 

 ated ; the first primar\' much shorter than the second, and about half as long 

 as the third, the fourth the longest. Tail nearly even. Feet strong ; tarsus 

 longer than the middle toe, to which the outer toe is united as far as its first 

 joint; claws strong and much curved (p. 221). 



NuciFRAGA, Brisson. — Beak about as long as the head, hard, stout and straight, 

 dilated at the base ; both mandibles terminating obtusely, the maxilla pro- 

 longed and slightly depressed at the tip. Nostrils basal, round, hidden by 

 stiff feathers directed forwards. Feathers of the crown short. Wings 

 graduated, the fifth primary being the longest. Tail slightly rounded. Feet 

 stout ; tarsus longer than the middle toe, to which the outer toe is united at 

 the base ; claws stout, curved and sharp (p. 223). 



Garrulus, BHssoii. — Beak shorter than the head, hard, stout and compressed, 

 straight at the base, sharp at the edges, commissure straight. Nostrils basal, 

 hidden by stiff feathers directed forwards. Feathers of the crown long and 

 erectile. Wings moderate, rounded ; the first primary short and not attenu- 

 ated, the fourth, fifth and sixth nearly equal and one of them the longest in 

 the wing. Tail moderately long and rounded. Feet strong, tarsus longer 

 than the middle toe, to which the outer toe is united at its base ; claws 

 stout, curved and sharp (p. 225). 



Pica, Brisson. — Beak stout and compressed, straight at the base, arched towards 

 the point, sharp at the edges, and slightly notched near the tip of the upper 

 mandible. Nostrils basal, hidden by stiff feathers directed forward. Wings 

 short and rounded ; the first primary attenuated for two-thirds of its length 

 and very short, the fourth or fifth the longest. Tail very long and graduated. 

 Feet strong ; tarsus longer than the middle toe, to which the outer toe is 

 united as far as its first joint ; claws curved and sharp (p. 227). 



Corvus, Linncciis. — Beak hard, stout, compressed, straight at the base, arched 

 towards the point and sharp at the edges. Nostrils basal, generally hidden 

 by stiff feathers directed forwards. Wings long and graduated ; the first 

 primary much shorter than the second, but more than half as long as the 

 third, the fourth the longest. Tail more or less graduated. Feet strong ; 

 tarsus longer than the middle toe, to which the outer toe is united as far as 

 its first joint ; claws strong, curved and sharp (p. 229). 



