106 



CORVID.E. 



western Siberia, and Fabcr includes it as a bird of Iceland. 

 The Jackdaw does not exist in America. Eastward from 

 this country it is found very common in Holland, and is 

 a native of Germany, France, Italy, and the northern shores 

 of Africa. Specimens have been forwarded to this country 

 from Smyrna and Trebizond. It occurs in the countries 

 between the Black and the Caspian seas, and from thence 

 northward to Lake Baikal, but is not found in India. 



The beak is black and short, about the same length as 

 the head of the bird ; the basal half covered with feathers 

 directed forwards ; the irides greyish white ; the crown of 

 the head black ; ear-coverts, nape, the whole of the neck 

 behind and on the sides, smoke-grey ; the whole of the back, 

 wings, and tail, black; the wings exhibiting a portion of 

 shining blue colour, but not so conspicuously as in the Crow 

 or Rook ; all the under surface of the body rusty black ; legs, 

 toes, and claws, shining black. 



The whole length of a male bird about fourteen inches. 

 The wing from the carpal joint to the end of the longest 

 feather, nine inches and three-eighths ; the first wing-feather 

 two inches and a half shorter than the second, which is 

 three quarters of an inch shorter than the third ; the third 

 and fourth feathers nearly equal in length, and the longest 

 in the wing. The wings when closed do not reach to the 

 end of the tail by rather more than one inch. 



The female is smaller in size than the male ; the grey 

 colour of the feathers under the hood is less conspicuous, 

 being rather darker than that of the males, and is not spread 

 over so large a surface. 



Young birds of the year exhibit but little grey colour 

 about the neck, and it is not much more obvious in the 

 second year : several years are probably required for the 

 attainment of the bright silvery grey colour observable on 

 some males. 



