CORVUS 425 



Hob. Egypt and Palestine, east to Afghanistan, Sind, and 

 Mekran. 



Frequents desert and rocky localities and is said to be 

 tolerably tame, frequenting villages and slaughter-houses in 

 search of offal. In general habits it resembles C. corax and like 

 that species feeds on carrion, grubs, insects, and also on dates 

 and grain. It places its nest on rocks or trees, constructing 

 same of sticks, roots, &c., lined with rootlets, wool, or hair, and 

 in February or March deposits 4 to 6 eggs, like those of 

 C. corax but richer in colour, and measuring about T92 by 1'26. 



606 IRBY'S RAVEN. 

 CORVUS LEPTONYX. 



Corvus leptonyx, Peale, U.S. Expl. Exp. viii. p. 105 (1848) ; Sharpe, Cat. 

 B. Br. Mus. iii. p. 19 ; C. tinffitanus, Irby, Ibis, 1874, p. 264 ; 

 Dresser, iv. p. 563, pi. 262, figs. 4-6. 



VHtirtitib, Arabic. 



ad. (Morocco). Kesembles C. corax, but is smaller, the lanceolate 

 feathers extend only over the upper neck, are smaller, and to some extent 

 bifurcate ; bill short and stout ; wing short ; entire plumage deep black, 

 glossed with steel blue ; upper surface of wings tinged with brown. Cul- 

 men 2'5, height of bill at base TO, wing 13'8, tail 775, tarsus 2-5 inch. 



Hob. North-west Africa, Canary Islands, and Madeira. 



Frequents the low flat country and in general habits 

 resembles C. corax, but unless persecuted it is tame and 

 confiding, visiting refuse heaps near the towns and villages in 

 search of food. It places its nest, which is built of sticks, and 

 lined with grass and rootlets, on trees or rocks, and is said 

 sometimes to nest in communities. The eggs, 4 to 7 in 

 number, are laid in April or May, and resemble those of 

 C. cor one, but are generally brighter in colour and measure 

 about 1-69 by T24. 



607. FANTAIL RAVEN. 

 CORVUS APFINIS. 



Corvus qffinis, Riipp. Neue Wirbelth. p. 20, Taf. 10, fig. 2 ; Heugl. Orn. 

 N. 6. Afr. p. 504 ; Dresser, iv. p. 559, pi. 262, figs. 5-7 ; (Sharpe), 

 Cat. B. Br. Mus. iii. p. 46. 



<J ad. (Palestine). Glossy black, glossed with steely violet or steel- 

 blue, especially on the upper parts ; head and neck duller, the throat 

 shaded with brown, the feathers lanceolate, bifurcate at the tip ; nasal 



