FAMILY CORVID^E 



glossed with violet and steel blue. Bill and legs 

 black. 



Female. Length 322 mm. (12.70 in.); tail 

 148 mm. (5.80 in.). Upper parts sooty brown, 

 under parts grayish brown more buffy on 

 chin and throat. Smaller and with a propor- 

 tionately shorter tail than male. Bill and 

 legs black. 



A species widely distributed and common ex- 

 cept in dense forest or jungle, and one of the 

 most familiar and fearless birds of the Canal 

 Zone. It is partial to the sea shore and may be 

 seen on the most isolated rocks of the bay as 

 well as on the lawns and in the gardens of the 

 -towns and cities, where its conspicuous size, 

 long tail, glossy plumage and graceful and digni- 

 fied carriage make the male one of the most 

 striking and attractive birds of the inhabited 

 parts of the region, and one which even the 

 casual visitor can hardly fail to notice. It has 

 a variety of notes and calls, the most charac- 

 teristic being a long drawn out, whistled screech 

 ascending with a questioning inflection. 



64. Family CORVTD^E 

 The Crows, Jays and Magpies 



The structure of the vocal organs, as well 

 as their other characters, show that the 

 members of this family must be included 

 among the song birds, though their notes 

 are for the most part harsh, often little 

 varied and without musical character. They 



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