770 The Sparrow-like Birds 



of the neck an immense erectile forked shield of velvety black plumes glossed 

 with bronze, which exceeds the wings in length. When in repose this neck 

 shield lies flatly upon the back, but when erected, it, in conjunction with the 

 breast plumes, most completely changes the form and appearance of the bird. 

 Manucodes. Of somewhat doubtful position, but probably correctly placed 

 here, are the so-called Manucodes, a name, by the way, which was applied to 

 Birds-of-Paradise in general for more than two hundred years, but which has of 

 late been restricted to a number of handsome birds of the Papuan subregion. 

 They lack the several forms of ornamental plumes that are such a prominent 

 feature in most of the other members of the family, though in certain of them the 

 feathers of the head, neck, and breast are curiously crinkled, producing an ele- 

 gant effect. They are chiefly remarkable for the extraordinary convolution of 

 the trachea, at least in the males, these convolutions lying on the breast and 

 between the skin and muscles, a peculiarity which gives them a very loud, clear, 

 ringing voice, and is quite unique among passerine birds. The principal genus 

 is Manucodia, in which the plumage is mainly a glossy, metallic steel-green, 

 inclining to purple in certain lights. Perhaps the best-known species is Comrie's 

 Manucode (M. comrii) of the islands of the D'Entrecasteaux group, which is 

 about seventeen inches long and is the finest and largest of the genus. 



THE CROWS AND JAYS 



(Family Corvidce) 



If we could consider only the typical members of this family, namely, the 

 Crows, Ravens, Daws, Rooks, Jays, Nutcrackers, Magpies, etc., it would form 

 a relatively compact and rather easily diagnosed group, but ornithologists are 

 by no means agreed as to the limits of the Corvida, with the result that it is 

 usually made to include a number of forms showing a greater or less degree of 

 relationship with other families, and until the exact status of these outlying 

 forms can be definitely settled, this family, like so many other passerine groups, 

 must remain without sharp, circumscribing lines. Broadly speaking, however, 

 the Corvida are rather large to very large birds the Ravens being the largest 

 of the passerine series with a generally stout, compressed conical bill which 

 is never distinctly notched nor angulated at the base, and usually roundish, non- 

 operculate nostrils, which are usually hidden by frontal tufts. The wings are 

 variable in shape, in some being long and pointed, in others short and rounded, 

 but all possessing ten primaries, of which the outer is short and only about half 

 the length of the next. The tail is also variable, being usually more or less 

 rounded or graduated, but never emarginate nor forked. The legs and feet are 

 very strong, for most of these birds walk well on the ground, and the middle 

 toe with its basal segment is united for about half its length to both lateral toes. 

 The nearest relatives of the Corvida appear to be the Shrikes (Laniida), which 

 differ in possessing hooked bills, and the beautiful Paradise-birds (Paradiseida), 



