196 Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain on the 



C. c. sardus. Most of the breeding-places are in the sea- 

 clifFs, where alternative sites close at hand are utilized year 

 after year. Occasionally, however, a pair may be found 

 breeding in an isolated clump of rocks at some distance 

 from the sea. Whitehead fonnd three nests with eggs, two 

 clutches of 6 eggs, and one addled set of 4, all on rocks. 

 Those which 1 examined in 1908 and 1909 were also on 

 rocks and all contained five well-Hedged young, which were 

 still in the nest at the end of May. The eggs are apparently 

 laid about the end of March or the first week of April, 

 so that the nesting-season is about a month earlier than 

 in S. Spain, though rather later than in the British Isles. 

 Average size of 16 Corsican eggs, 46*55 x3.2'78 mm.; 

 max. 59"3 X 365, min. 41x30"5. 



2. CoRvus coKNix SARDONius Klciuschmidt . Sardinian 

 Hooded Crow. 



Corvus sardonius Kleinschmidt, Ornithol. ^lonatsberichte, 

 xi. p. 92 (1903— Sardinia). 



Local name : Cornacchia. This form, originally described 

 from Sardinia, is common to both Corsica and Sardinia 

 (Hartert, Vog. pal. Fauna, i. p. 10). Its distinctive cha- 

 racters are its slightly smaller size and a pale brownish 

 tinge, which is apparent on the grey, both above and below. 

 It is a common resident on the low ground and is most 

 numerous along the east coast, but is rare or absent in the 

 hills inland. In its breeding-habits it shews extreme 

 caution, although bold enough at other times; and it is 

 interesting to note how a pair of birds, which have been 

 silent and skulking hitherto, will suddenly break out into 

 discordant and noisy croaking when they become aware 

 that their nest has been discovered. As noted by Wharton, 

 a favourite breeding- place is in a tree on the border of a 

 swamp. The eggs are usually 4, sometimes 5 in number, 

 and are laid from April 12 (Wharton) to about May 10. 

 Whitehead, however, took none before April 26. Average 

 size of 28 Corsican eggs, 43-35 x 29-52 mm. ; max. 485 x 307 

 and 457 X 31-2, min. 40-9 x 28-2 and 41-4 x 278 mm. 



