CORVID^E CORVULTUR 



Family I. COR VOLE. 



Bill stout and strong ; the culmen arched ; the sides com- 

 pressed; the edges of both mandibles smooth. Nostrils partially 

 or entirely concealed by bristles or narrow stiffened feathers directed 

 forwards. Wings with ten primaries, the outer, or first, about half 

 the length of the second ; the four outermost with their inner edges 

 sinuated. Tail of twelve feathers. Tarsi scutellated anteriorly, 

 posteriorly and laterally covered with two entire plates which are 

 separated from one another and from the anterior scutes by narrow 

 intervals which are reticulated. Feet large and strong ; the basal 

 joint of the middle toe united to the lateral toes by membrane. 

 Size large. Sexes alike in plumage ; that of the young like that of 

 the adults but paler. Only one moult in the year, in autumn. 



This family comprises the well known Crows, Jays, Magpies, 

 and Choughs. The various species are of world-wide distribution, 

 but only three occur in South Africa. 



Key to the Genera. 



a. Bill very deep, the depth exceeding the length of the outer 



toe ; nostrils in a very deep groove ; tail short and much 



graduated ; Corv ultur. 



b. Bill stout, but much less so than in Corvultur, the depth 



less than the length of outer toe; nostrils in a less 



defined groove; tail longer and not much graduated Corv us. 



Genus I. CORYULTUR. 



Type. 

 Corvultur, Lesson, Traite Orn. p. 327 (1831) L. albicollis. 



Bill very deep, the depth exceeding the length of the outer toe, 

 and compressed ; the culmen much arched ; nostrils oval, at the 

 bottom of a deep groove ; the nasal bristles long. Tarsus robust 

 and strongly scutellated, about equal to the culmen in length. 

 Tail short, less than half the length of the wing, and much 

 graduated. 



This genus contains two species only, C. albicollis, confined to 

 South and East Africa, and the larger C. crassirostris, a native of 

 Abyssinia and North-east Africa. 



In their habits these birds resemble the larger Crows and 

 Eavens. 



