1480 



THE PERCHING BIRDS 



crows are always found in Australia; while magpies, nutcrackers, and choughs, are 

 characteristic of the northern and central parts of the Old World. South America 

 possesses some jays of brilliant plumage; those of the genus XantJnira having 

 beautiful blue feathers, associated with black or deeper blue markings. 



The genus Corvus includes all the true ravens and crows, 

 distinguished by a stout compressed bill, straight at the base, arched 

 toward the point, and sharp at the edges. The wings are long and 

 graduated, and the tail is more or less graduated. The feet are powerful, the 

 metatarsus exceeding in length the middle toe. The plumage is identical in both 



Ravens and 

 Crows 



"U*. -T-*fc *^ -V^^** "*" >""*_". w>s *"^ - . 



:-7s ---*~* j y-f^~-*'^- JT-* L. "~- 



THICK-BIII,ED RAVEN. 



sexes; and black, more or less glossed with green or purple, decidedly predominates. 

 Birds of this genus are found throughout the whole of Europe and Asia north of 

 the line of the Himalayas, ranging into Northwestern India, Australia, North 

 America, and Mexico. 



The type of this well-known genus is the large raven (Corvus 

 corax}, familiar to the natives of the northern parts of both 

 Hemispheres. In Japan its place is occupied by the Oriental raven, which is also 

 found in India, Ceylon, South China, and the islands of the Malay Archipelago. 

 The common raven of temperate Europe may be regarded as the parent form, and 





