DAW. 



311 



The beak is black and short, about the same length as the 

 head of the bird : the irides greyish-white : the crown of the 

 head black, glossed with purple; ear-coverts, nape* and sides 

 of the neck, smoky-grey ; the rest of the upper parts black, 

 glossed with rich violet and green, especially on the wings; 

 all the lower parts dusky black : legs, toes and claws, black. 



The whole length of a male is about fourteen inches ; the 

 wing from the carpal joint to the tip, nine inches and three- 

 eighths ; the first primary two inches and a half shorter than 

 the second, which is three-quarters of an inch shorter than 

 the third ; and this is nearly equal to the fourth. The tail 

 is slightly rounded. 



The female is somewhat smaller, and has the grey on the 

 neck less pure and conspicuous. 



The young are of a nearly uniform, dull black, inclining 

 to grey beneath ; but with the grey collar scarcely perceptible. 

 In this state they are probably the foundation of the Corvus 

 spermolegus of Vieillot. 



The vignette represents the Daw's sternum, illustrating 

 its form in the family Corvida, which, as will be seen, is 

 essentially the same as in all the true Passeres. 



.* Adult examples from South-eastern Europe and some parts of Asia generally 

 have the nape much lighter, passing into silvery-white. They are the Corvus 

 collaris of Col Drummond-Hay, but few ornithologists now deem their specific 

 distinctness established. Further to the eastward occurs the C. dauuricus of 

 Pallas, which has not only the collar broader and pure white, but much of the 

 lower parts of the body white also. 



VOL. II. 



s s 



