36 COBY1DJE. 



(15) Corvus monedula soemmeringii. 

 THE EASTEKV JACKDAW. 



Corvus soemmeringii Fischer, Me"m. Soc. Imp. Natur. Moscou, i, p. 3 



(1811) (Moscow). 

 Corvus monedula. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 22. \ 



Vernacular names. Paya (Tibetan). 



Description. Forehead and crown glossy black ; nape and hind 

 neck dusky grey ; sides of the head and neck light grey, almost 

 white, and forming a half-collar on the posterior portion of the 

 side of the neck ; lores blackish ; upper plumage, wings and tail 

 bluish black with a considerable amount of gloss ; chin and cheeks 

 black with grey shaft-streaks ; throat and fore neck entirely black ; 

 remainder of lower plumage slaty black with very little gloss. 



Fig. 7. Head of C. m. saemmeringii. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris nearly white ; legs, feet and bill 

 black. 



Measurements. Length about 320 to 340 mm.; wing 230 to 

 250 mm.; tail about 135 mm.; tarsus about 44mm.; culmen 

 32 to 34 mm. 



Distribution. Breeding from Eastern Russia, Macedonia, Bul- 

 garia, Turkey, through Asia as far east as the Yenesei and south 

 to Persia, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Lndakh and Eastern Tibet In 

 winter it wanders into the plains, being numerous close to the 

 Himalayas and having been found as far south as Ferozepore, 

 Jhelum and Kalabagh, and as far east as Umballa. 



Nidificatloii. The Eastern Jackdaw breeds in great numbers in 

 Kashmir, West Ladakh, Gilgit, etc., making its nest of all kinds of 

 rubbish in old buildings, hollow trees and holes in cliffs. It lays 

 four to seven eggs of a very pale sea-green colour, sparsely marked 

 with spots and specks of dark brown and purple. They average 

 about 34*2 x 24 p 9 mm. in size but vary very much both in length 

 and breadth, even in the same clutch. The breeding season com- 

 mences in April but eggs may be found until the end of June. 



