CORVUS MONEDULA 13 



name for the Magpie, " Agaz," or " Agag," like many Arab names for 

 birds, is taken from its harsh cry, and no doubt the name of " Agasse," 

 used in some parts of France, has a similar derivation. Like the 

 common Magpie, the Moorish bird will feed on almost anything, and 

 in the arid semi-desert wastes of Tunisia its diet consists largely of 

 locusts and coleoptera, which abound in those regions. 



In South Tunisia it is an early breeder, and I have found nests 

 containing nearly fledged young birds as early as the first week in 

 April. Further north it no doubt breeds later. 



The nest is nearly always placed in the middle of a thick and 

 almost impenetrable thorn-bush, and at a height of from six to ten 

 feet from the ground ; it is of the usual domed shaj^e, composed of 

 sticks and twigs, and lined with a little wool and hair. The eggs, 

 which are generally six in number, although occasionally as many as 

 seven, or even eight, may be found, resemble those of our European 

 bird, being of a greenish colour, finely spotted all over with brown. 

 They measure from 31 to 35 mm. in length by 23 to 25 mm. in 

 breadth. 



CORYUS MONEDULA, Linnfeus. 



JACKDAW. 



Copvus monedula, Linn. Sijst. Nat. i. p. 156 (1766) ; Malherbe, Cat. 



Eais. d'Ois. Alcj. p. 7 (1846) ; Koenig, J. f. 0. 1888, p. 171. . 

 Coloeus monedula, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. iii, p. 26. 

 Monedula turrium, LocJw, Expl. Sci. Akj. Ois. i. p. 114 (1867). 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Sicily. 



Forehead, lores and crown glossy black, with purple reflections, nape 

 and sides of the neck grey, shading into black on the mantle and remainder 

 of the upper parts ; secondaries and upper wiug-coverts with purple 

 reflections, primaries and rectrices with greenish reflections ; underparts 

 dull black, shading into grey on the lower abdomen and on the thighs. 



Iris whitish ; bill and feet black. 



Total length 14 inches, wing 960, culinen 1'30, tarsus 1-90. 



Adult female slightly duller in plumage than the male, and rather 

 smaller. 



