14 A PKACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Description. — Adnlt male and female. Winter. — ^Nasal bristles 

 black ; fore-head, crown, and nape black, glossed greenish ; mantle, 

 back, rump, and upper tail-coverts glossed reddish-purple ; chin 

 glossed green ; tlu"oat, flanks, under Ming-co verts, axillaries, and 

 under tail-coverts glossed bluish-purj)le (feathers of throat long 

 and lance-shaped) ; rest of under-parts black with little gloss ; 

 tail black underneath, glossed greenish and bluish-purple above ; 

 primaries black underneath, glossed purplish-green above ; 

 secondaries same, but glossed reddish-purple on outer Avebs and 

 greenish on inner ; primary-coverts and bastard-\A'ing as primaries 

 but more glossy ; greater coverts like secondaries ; median and 

 lesser coverts glossed reddish-purple. This plumage is acquired 

 by complete moult in Aug. -Sept. Summer. — ^No moult. 

 Abrasion causes some loss of gloss, and wings and tail 

 especially become browner by wear but never so brown as in first 

 summer. 



Nestling. — (Not examined.) 



Juvenile. — Like that of Rook but crown and mantle duller, 

 less glossed ; outer webs of secondaries and greater coverts glossed 

 bluer, less reddish-purple, than Rook. Wing-formula as in adult. 



First winter and summer. — Like adult but wings and tail 

 browner, especially in summer. The juvenile body-plumage, 

 median, lesser and inner greater coverts are moulted in autumn, 

 but not rest of wings and tail. 



Measurements and structure. — i^ wing 318-345 mm., tail 175-195, 

 tarsus 55-64, bill from nostril 34-41, depth at angle of lower 

 mandible 17-21 (12 measured). $ wing 310-325. Primaries : 1st 

 equal to or shorter than 10th, very occasionally between 9tli and 

 10th, 2nd 5-14 mm. shorter than 6th (very occasionally equals 

 6th, never longer), 4th usually longest, 3rd and 5th equal or 3-7 mm. 

 shorter, 6th 16-25 shorter ; 2nd to 6th clearly emarginated outer 

 webs. Secondaries about equal 9th primary, tips rounded. Tail 

 rounded. Bill thick, deep, and curved at tip. Numerous rictal 

 and nasal bristles, latter completely covering nostrils. 



Soft jmrts. — Bill, legs and feet black ; iris dark brown. 



Characters and allied forms. — C. c. orientalis (Siberia, north 

 China, Japan) is larger. As compared with Rook, greenish, not 

 reddish-purple, head and chin; bluer, not so reddish-purple, mantle, 

 throat, and breast ; feathers of throat pointed, lance-shaped 

 instead of rounded ; feather-bases whiter ; bill thicker, deeper, 

 and more curved ; 2nd primary never longer than 6th, as it is in 

 Rook. 



Field-characters. — Differs from Hooded Crow in its uniformly 

 black plumage. Resembles Rook, but bill much stouter, with 

 base feathered at all ages instead of bare as in adult Rook. In 

 repose, plumage clings closely to body, whereas in Rook, feathers 

 of flanks hang loosely over thighs. Generally Rooks are gregarious 



