JACKDAW. 239 



ignorant. Temminck, in his Supplement, adds, 

 that it is extremely common in mountainous 

 parts of the Morea.* 



In country localities the Jackdaw is a clean 

 and agreeable looking bird, and the adult male, 

 in the height of his breeding plumage, is not 

 devoid of beauty, while the bright and peculiarly 

 pale coloured iris always conveys an idea of 

 activity and sprightliness, however much the 

 plumage may be dulled by the dirt and smoke of 

 towns. Length of the male about thirteen and a half, 

 or fourteen inches ; crown of the head rich black, 

 with violet reflections, forming a circular cap or 

 crown ; back part of the head, cheeks, nape, and 

 sides of the neck, dark smoke gray ; the feathers 

 loose and unconnected ; upper parts, wings and 

 tail, black, with blue and violet reflections ; the 

 under parts blackish gray, nearly dull black on 

 the chin, and with the tips, for nearly half an 

 inch in breadth on the breast, paler ; the irides 

 are clear grayish white, and add much to the 

 lively appearance of the bird. The female is 

 rather less, being only about thirteen inches in 

 length, the markings on the head are rather less 

 distinct, and the upper parts are of a blackish 

 gray, with violet reflections. Cream coloured 

 and dusky varieties are not unfrequent ; the 

 former presenting the characters of an albino 

 having the irides red. Pied varieties also occur. 



* Supp. p. 61. 



