the north island crow 65 



Order Passeres. 



Feet with three toes in front and one behind ; adapted for 

 perching. Bill never raptorial. Primary wing-feathers ten or 

 nine, the secondaries more than six; the wang-coverts short, not 

 more than half the length of the secondaries. Tail usually with 

 twelve feathers. 



SuJj-ordcr Oscincs. 

 With a complicated vocal apparatus. 



FamiJii Corvidae. 

 Large birds with a stout bill, which is generally notched near 

 the tip. Nostrils usually covered with feathers. Found all over 

 the world except Polynesia. 



Genus Glaucopis. 

 Bill strong, the upper outline much arched. Nostrils partly 

 concealed by feathers. Mouth with wattles, but no bristles. 

 Wing short and rounded, the tip formed by the sixth and seventh 

 cpiills. The first primary about two-thirds of the second, which 

 is shorter than the secondaries. Tail long and rounded, each 

 feather ending in a blunt point. Legs and feet strong, the tarsi 

 scutellate, longer than the middle toe. New Zealand only. The 

 New Zealand crow is an aberrant member of the Corvidai, having 

 affinity with the Australian magpies and the bower birds. 



Key to the Species. 



The wattles entirely blue. G. wilsoni. 



Base of the wattle blue, the rest orange. G. cinerea. 



The North Island Crow. — Kokako. 



Glaucopis ivilsoni. 



Similar in colour to the South Island species, but the tail is 

 olivaceous black. Wattle entirely blue. Bye dark brown. Length of 

 the wing, 6 in.; of the tarsus, 2.7 in. Egg — Pale stone grey, spotted 

 with iHirplish grey; length, 1.45 in. North Island. 



Our two crows are numbered among the birds that are 

 retreating before the advance of civilisation. At one time they 



E 



