5 56 PASSERIFORMES 



CHAP. 



are almost omnivorous, Eavens and other strong species even 

 attacking weakly ewes or lambs, and preying on small mammals, 

 birds, and reptiles ; Hooded and Carrion Crows, Eooks, Magpies. 

 Jackdaws, and Jays suck eggs ; while Eooks, though undoubtedly 

 beneficial, also grub up seed-corn and potatoes. An immense 

 amount of insect -life is, however, destroyed, and the larger 

 forms dispose of carrion ; the American Corvus ossifragus and C. 

 cor one, moreover, will catch living fish. Magpies and Jays feed 

 largely upon the ground, and eat slugs, snails, worms, insects, nuts, 

 acorns, grain, seeds of conifers, and other fruits ; Nutcrackers devour 

 quantities of the last ; Corvus tropicus, Macrocorax, and Gymno- 

 corax relish fruit. Jays store provisions, and Jackdaws pick 

 insects off cattle. The nests of Crows and Nutcrackers are 

 bulky structures cf sticks, lined with soft materials ; the rough 

 domed fabric of the Magpie is neatly lined with roots upon a 

 layer of clay ; the slighter nests of Choughs and Jays are inlaid 

 with roots and fibres more rarely with moss, hair, or wool and 

 every variety is found between these limits. The larger species 

 build in forks and holes in trees, in crevices of rocks and masonry, 

 or rarely in or on the ground ; tlie Chough never chooses trees ; 

 Jays nest comparatively low, and often in bushes. Crows' eggs 

 are normally greenish, mottled with darker green, olive, or 

 brownish, but Heterocorax capensis has them pinkish with red 

 spots, while other Crows, Eavens, and Bendrocitta sometimes shew 

 a similar tint. Jackdaws' eggs are bluish-green or white, with 

 dark olive or black markings interspersed with grey ; those of 

 Magpies and Nutcrackers have a like ground-colour with greenish- 

 olive and faint brownish spots respectively ; those of Jays are 

 greenish, or even bluish, with close olive-green frecklings or zones, 

 and occasional black scrawls at the larger end ; those of Choughs 

 are yellowish-white, with light In-own and grey markings. The 

 number laid varies from two or three, to as many as nine in 

 Magpies, but is usually four or five. The hens sit rather closely. 

 Eavens sometimes will even attack man at the nest. 



Of genera doubtfidly included in the Family, Picatliartes of 

 the Gold Coast is slaty -grey, with l)rowai quills, white under 

 parts, and bare yellow head, shewing black behind each eye ; it 

 builds among rocks near forest-streams, and feeds upon reptiles and 

 molluscs. The egg is whitish, clouded and dotted w^ith brown. 

 Callaeas {Glaucopis) cinerea, which is blue-grey, with black on the 



