THE BIRDS OF KOIIAT AND THE KORRAM VALLEY. 177 



In the Upper Kin-ram Valley it nests freely in April from 5,000 ft. upwards; a 

 Ckinar (Plane-tree) near a village being usually selected as a nesting site. 

 Like the Raven, the Carrion-Crow is not a dweller in the wilds in these parts, 

 but prefers the neighbourhood of mankind. 



[4.] Corves maceorhynchos. The Jungle-Crow. 



Rattray, J. B. N. H. S. xii. p. 337 (Thall : very common) ; Fulton, op. cit. 

 xvi. p. -45 (Lower Chitral : very common) ; Rattray, t. c. p. 421 (very com- 

 mon up to 9,000 ft. : Murree Hills ); Ward, op. cit. xvii. p. 108. 



Abundant in the plains from November till mid-April (last seen on the 

 28th), partially taking the place of C. splenclens. In summer it retires to the 

 Ilex-and Fir-clad slopes of the higher ranges, nesting freely on the Safed 

 Koh. 



[5.] Corvus erugilegus. The Rook, 



Marshall, J. B. N. H. S. xiv. p. 601 (once seen in January near Quetta) ; 

 Gumming, op. cit. xvi. p. 086 (common in Seistan in winter) ; Ward, op. cit. 

 xvii. p. 108 (occurs in winter along the R. Jhelum). 

 641. $ juv. Samana, 6,500 ft., 5th March. 

 744. 745. 9 ; 746 $ juv. Kohat, 1,760 ft., 25th March. 

 Visits the district in large flocks in winter, arriving in November and re- 

 maining as late as the middle of April. The birds, however, staying on 

 through March appear to be almost all young which have not entirely shed 

 the face-feathers and nasal bristles. Gates, in the ' Fauna of India, ' writes : 

 V About January or when the young bird is about nine months old the nasal 

 bristles are cast, and by March the front part of the head has become 

 entirely denuded of feathers." Here, neither are entirely lost till April. 

 The above-mentioned examples represent the ordinary type found here in 

 March. 



[6.] Corves sharpii. Sharpe's Hooded Crow. 



Corvus sharpii, Oates, F. B. I., Birds, i. p. 20 ; dimming, J. B. N. H. S xvi. p. 

 686 (common in Tamarisk-jungle of Seistan) ; Ward, op. cit. xvii. p. 109 (a 

 rare visitor to Kashmir). 



We have not observed the Hoodie in Kohat, but Mr. Donald, the Political 

 Officer, tells me that he has met with one or two almost every year, generally 

 about the grass-farm. This Crow is a common winter visitor to the Peshawar 

 and Bannu Districts, which are better suited to its habits. From the latter 

 3Iajor Magrath has sent a typical specimen of the race Corvus comix sharpii 

 to the British Museum. 



[7.] Corvus splendens. The House-Crow. 



Rattray, J. B. N. H. S. xii. p. 337 (not common at Thall) ; Ward, op. cit. 

 xvii. p. 109 (common in the low country). 



A resident and extremely common in summer, In mild winters numbers 

 remain, but in severe weather it almost entirely disappears, C, macrorJiynchus 

 taking its place as the common cook-house scavenger. 

 [9.] Corvus monedula. The Jackdaw. 



