136 PICID^E. 



Crow, and its notes resemble a loud hoarse laugh." It is 

 found in Germany, and from thence to the most northern 

 parts of Russia and Siberia ; this bird, therefore, has an 

 extended latitudinal range. 



The male : Beak as long as the head, rather conical 

 in shape, with a well- defined, elevated, central ridge, ex- 

 tending the whole length of the upper mandible from the 

 base to the point ; in colour it is black at the end, passing 

 by a bluish horn colour to almost white at the base ; a 

 small tuft of black hair-like feathers extending forwards 

 above each nostril ; the irides straw colour ; the upper 

 surface of the head is covered with feathers that are black 

 at the base, but tipped with rich arterial blood red, forming 

 a cap which reaches to the occiput ; the whole of the body 

 of the bird, both above and below, the wings and the tail, 

 are of uniform black, of which the under surface of the 

 body is rather more dull in colour than the upper ; the 

 tarsi partly covered with black feathers ; the toes and 

 claws bluish black ; of the two toes directed backwards, 

 the inner toe is only half as long as the outer one ; the 

 claws of all the toes greatly curved, strong, and sharp. 



The whole length of the specimen described was six- 

 teen inches. The wing from the carpal joint to the end 

 nine inches : the first feather pointed, and only about two 

 inches in length ; the second feather about five inches long, 

 also pointed, and equal in length to the ninth ; the third 

 shorter than the fourth, fifth, or sixth which are about 

 equal, and the longest in the wing. The two middle fea- 

 thers of the tail are the longest, the outside feathers the 

 shortest, but all are stiff, and but slightly elastic, the 

 shafts being very thick and strong. 



In the female the crimson colour is confined to the back 

 part of the head, and in young males the top of the head 

 is only spotted with red. 



