io ALLEN'S NATURALIST'S LIBRARY. 



THE JACKDAW. COLCEUS MONEDULA. 



Corvus monedula, Linn., S. N., i., p. 156 (1766); Macg., Br. 

 B., i., p. 552 (1837) ; Dresser, B. Eur., iv., p. 523, pi. 261 

 (1875) ; Newt. ed. Yarr., ii., p. 305 (1878) ; B. O. U. List 

 Br. B., p. 68 (1883) ; Seeb., Hist Br. B., i., p. 556 (1883) ; 

 Saunders, Man., p. 229 (1889); Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B., 

 pt. x. (1889). 



Colotus monedula, Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus., iii., p. 26 (1877). 



Adult Male. Black, with a purplish gloss on the wings and 

 tail, somewhat shot with green ; crown of head glossy blue- 

 black, forming a cap by reason of the greyish shade which per- 

 vades the hind neck and sides of neck, the latter part inclining 

 occasionally to hoary white ; bill and feet black ; iris bluish 

 white. Total length, 13 inches; culmen, 1-35 ; wing, 9-5 ; tail, 

 6' i j tarsus, 1*7. 



Adult Female. Similar to the male in colour and size. 



Young. Duller than the adult, and not showing any grey on 

 the neck. 



Range in Great Britain. Generally distributed, but is some- 

 what local, and there are many localities where it does not 

 breed, such as the Outer Hebrides and the Shetlands, though 

 a few pairs nest in the Orkneys. There is a great migration of 

 these birds every autumn from the east, and large numbers 

 cross to England in October and November, in company with 

 Rooks. Even earlier in the year there seems to be a migration 

 along the south coast, as we have seen numbers at St. Leo- 

 nards, in Sussex, passing from east to west in September ; 

 but whether these were British-bred birds shifting their quarters 

 or whether they were the forerunners of the great swarm which 

 visits us every year from Northern Europe and passes over 

 Heligoland, it is impossible to say. 



Range outside the British Islands. Throughout nearly the whole 

 of Europe, breeding as far north as Trondhjemsfiord, and being 

 found generally south of the Arctic Circle. Seebohm and 

 Harvie Brown found the Jackdaw common in Russia at Mezen 

 (lat. 66), noticed it at Ust Zylma (lat. 65), and in the Urals it 

 is known to occur up to 61. Its range is evidently further north 



