32 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



DESCRIPTION. Adult male and female. Winter. Whole body- 

 plumage glossy blue-black ; feather-bases greyish-brown ; longer 

 upper and under tail-coverts, tail, primaries, secondaries, bastard- 

 wing, primary-coverts, and greater coverts glossed greenish. This 

 plumage is acquired by complete moult in August-September, 

 primaries starting in June. Summer. No moult and only a 

 slight loss of gloss on wings and tail by abrasion. 



Nestling. (Not examined.) 



Juvenile. Like adult, but body-feathers brownish-black with 

 their tips only slightly glossed blue-black ; feather-bases browner 

 than adult ; tail, wings, and wing-coverts tinged brown and slightly 

 duller than adult. 



First winter and summer. Difficult to distinguish from adult, 

 but tail and wings less glossy, becoming brown in summer ; espe- 

 cially noticeable on bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and inner 

 secondaries. The juvenile body-plumage and lesser and median 

 wing-coverts are moulted in August-September but not rest of 

 wings nor tail. 



Measurements and structure. ^ wing 270-310 mm., tail 140-160, 

 tarsus 55-59, bill from nostril 49-58 (12 measured). 2 wing 265- 

 285 mm., bill from nostril 42-47. Primaries : 1st usually between 

 9th and 10th, sometimes either longer than 9th or shorter than 

 10th, 3rd to 5th usually about equal and longest, 2nd 20-40 mm. 

 shorter, 6th 12-25 shorter ; 2nd to 6th emarginated outer webs. 

 Secondaries about equal 10th primary, tips fairly square and 

 slightly notched. Tail nearly square. Bill curved, upper mandible 

 slightly longer than lower. Bristle-like feathers covering nostrils 

 are shorter and more compact than in Corvus. 



Soft parts. Bill, legs, and feet bright red (adult), orange 

 (young) ; iris dark brown. 



CHARACTERS AND ALLIED FORMS. No subspecies. P. graculus is 

 smaller in all dimensions, and has finer, much shorter and less 

 curved yellow bill. 



FIELD-CHARACTERS. Only likely to be confused with Jackdaw 

 from which distinguished by absence of grey in its purple-black 

 plumage, more slender form, and red bill and legs. Flight buoyant ; 

 widely-separated primaries, with tips often curving upward, give 

 wing a pectinated appearance. Notes, a soft " k'chufe," and a 

 rather querulous "tchare." Alarm note, " keea we," changing to 

 loud, hard "kwarr," when nest or young in danger, 



BREEDING-HABITS. Nearly all breeding-places in British Islands 

 at present on, or close to, sea-coast, but formerly many in cliffs 

 and rocks inland. Crevices and holes in roofs of sea-caves or 

 crannies and hollows in face of steep cliffs are usual sites. Occa- 

 sionally unused or ruined buildings are utilized. Nest. Bulky, 

 built of sticks, heather-stalks, or furze-stems, dead plants, etc., 

 thickly-lined wool, cow or goat hair, etc. Eggs. 3 or 4 to 6 or 7 ; 



