CORVUS. 29 



larger than that of the Northern Indian race. In adults the 

 bases of the feathers are generally pale and in some pure white. 



Colours of soft parts as in levaillanti. 



Measurements. Wing averaging over 330 in in. and running 

 up to as much as 368 in two hirds, one from Simla and one from 

 Sikkim. 



If birds from only the higher portions of their habitat were 

 taken, the wing average would probably be well over 340 mm., hut 

 the average is greatly decreased by late summer birds, which may 

 well be visitors from the plains wandering into the hills after 

 breeding. Thus both in Murree and Mussoorie individuals occur 

 with wings of about 290 mm. and there is a specimen in the 

 British Museum from Grilgit with a wing of only 285 mm. 



Distribution. The Himalayas from Afghanistan to Bhutan 

 and ? Dafla Hills. 



Nidification. This form is essentially a jungle-breeder, though 

 it may place its nest in forest not far from habitations. Bound 

 about Simla the deodar is a favourite nesting site, the nest being 

 placed very high up and even better and more compactly built than 

 that of the plains' birds. The clutch is bigger also, five being not 

 uncommon and six sometimes met with. The eggs average 

 44-8 x 30'0 mm. and are much more richly and brightly coloured 

 than are the eggs of the plains' birds. The breeding season lasts 

 from the middle of March to the end of May. 



Habits. The Himalayan Jungle-Crow is found from the foot- 

 hills up to at least 10,000 feet, though it may not be common at 

 this elevation. Birds from the hot country below 1,000 or even 

 2,000 feet elevation are intermediate between the plains and the 

 mountain forms and cannot be correctly assigned to either. 

 This is, of course, the case in intermediate areas between 

 geographical races of all species. 



The Himalayan bird is not so much addicted to haunting the 

 vicinity of human habitations as is the Common Jungle-Crow and 

 pairs may be found inhabiting stretches of forest far from any 

 camp or village. Its voice is notably louder arid deeper than 

 that of the plains' bird. 



(8) Corvus coronoides andamanensis. 

 THE ANDAMAN Ju^GLE-Cnow, 



Corvus andamanensis Tytler, Beavan, Ibis, 1866, p. 420 (Pt. Blair, 



Andamans). 

 Corvus macrorhynchus. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 17. 



Vernacular names. Kak-soral, June/la Kale-sored (Assamese) ; 

 Hay rani Dao-lca (Cachari) ; Inrui-kak (Kacha Naga) ; Vo-kalc 

 (Kuki) ; Taw-chegan (Burmese) ; Kwak (Siamese). 



