CORVUS.] AYES INSESSORES. 147 



thers : plumage wholly black as in that species, but rather more glossy, 

 reflecting rich tints of blue and violet-purple : bill not quite so strong, 

 and of not so deep a black : colour of the feet similar. Young birds, on 

 leaving the nest, have the base of the bill feathered as in the C. Corone, 

 and the nostrils likewise covered by reflected bristles : in the course 

 of the autumn these feathers fall off, and are not replaced by others. 

 Varieties are occasionally met with entirely white, or pied, or with the 

 tips of all the feathers whitish. (Egg.) Ground colour pale green, nearly 

 covered with blotches of dark greenish brown : long. diam. one inch eight 

 lines; trans, diam. one inch two lines. 



Common throughout the country, especially in cultivated districts. Of 

 gregarious habits, breeding together, and likewise seeking food in large 

 companies. Subsists principally on the grub of the cockchaffer, wire- 

 worm, and other insects; but will occasionally devour corn, and, during 

 the winter season, is very destructive to turnips. Builds early in March, 

 and hatches in April. Nests crowded together at the tops of the tallest 

 trees, composed principally of fresh twigs forcibly detached from the 

 branches of the neighbouring trees, and lined with grass and fibrous 

 roots. Eggs four or five in number. 



114. C. Monedula, Linn. (Jackdaw.) Crown of the 

 head, and upper parts of the body, bluish black ; occiput 

 and nape ash-gray. 



C. Monedula, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. i. p. 111. Id. torn. in. p. 60. 

 Jackdaw, Mont. Orn. Diet. Selb. Illust. vol. i. p. 356. pi. 31. f. 1. 

 Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 88. 



DIMENS. Entire length twelve inches nine lines : length of the bill 

 (from the forehead) one inch two lines, (from the gape) one inch five 

 lines ; of the tarsus one inch eight lines ; of the tail four inches eleven 

 lines; from the carpus to the end of the wing nine inches: breadth, 

 wings extended, two feet three inches three lines. 



DESCRIPT. Much smaller than any of the foregoing species: crown 

 of the head, and all the upper parts of the body, black, glossed with 

 violet-blue ; occiput and nape ash-gray : wings and tail the same as the 

 back : under parts deep black, not so much glossed as the upper : bill and 

 feet black : irides grayish white. Varies occasionally like the last species. 

 (Egg.) Pale bluish white, spotted with ash-colour and clove-brown: 

 long. diam. one inch seven lines ; trans, diam. one inch and half a line. 



Common in all parts of the country. Much attached to churches and 

 other buildings, especially such as are in a ruinous and deserted state. 

 Builds in such situations, as well as in the holes of decayed trees ; occa- 

 sionally in chimnies, and even rabbit-burrows. Nest composed of sticks 

 mixed up occasionally with horse-dung, and lined with wool and other 

 soft substances. Eggs four to six in number. Gregarious like the last 

 species, with which it often associates. Feeds on a great variety of 

 animal and vegetable substances. 



(2. PICA, Cuv.) 



115. C. Pica, Linn. (Magpie.) Head, throat, back, 

 and breast, black ; scapulars and belly white. 



K2 



