294 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Bill and legs black ; irides dark brown. Length 25 to 26 inches ; 

 wing 16^; tail 9^; bill at front 3 ; height of bill l^ s> tarsus 2^. 



The Raven of Europe is stated to occur in the Punjab, about 

 Ferozepore, on this side of the Indus, and also in Upper Sindh, 

 during the cold weather only, migrating to Affghanistan and the 

 neighbouring hills to breed, which it is said to do in the N. W. 

 Himalayas, and in the neighbourhood of Cashmere. Dr. Stewart 

 states that at Wuzeerabad (in the Punjab) it is as common and as 

 impudent as Corvus splendens ; and that it appears to replace 

 C. culminatus entirely in the Punjab. Hutton, on the contrary, 

 says that he never saw it in India, but that it is common in 

 Afghanistan. Adams confirms Dr. Stewart's statement, and says 

 that it "is an inhabitant of the Northern countries of India, 

 commencing at Upper Sindh ; it is found all over the Punjab, 

 at every season of the year, where they frequent camps and 

 cantonments with Govind Kites, and Egyptian Vultures." Many 

 interesting accounts of the docility and intelligence of Ravens 

 are to be found in all popular treatises on Ornithology, and it 

 is considered to imitate the human voice as perfectly as any 

 known bird. 



658. Corvus tibetanus, Hodgson. 



Ann. Nat. Hist. n. s. III. p. 203 — Horsf., Cat. 830- C. bac- 

 trianus, Bonap. 



The Tibet Eaven. 



Descr. — Nearly allied to C. corax, but somewhat larger in size, 

 and the bill appears to be somewhat higher at the base, and 

 stronger than in the bird of Europe ; wings and tail also longer. 

 Length fully 26 inches; wing 19 ; tail il^; bill at front 3; 

 height ljg. The wings reach to within 2 inches or so of the 

 end of the tail. 



Horsfield keeps this species apart from the Eaven of Europe, 

 and I have followed him in so doing, but I am not fully convinced 

 of their being quite distinct, and a larger series of specimens from 

 different regions should be examined more critically. If it really 

 be distinct, it will probably be found to inhabit all Eastern and 

 Central Asia, with China ; in fact, to replace the European species 



