127 
iQ21.] Breeding Birds of Crete. 
The Cretans are charming and very helpful, more especially 
the shepherds of Mount Ida, whose evil reputation I em¬ 
phatically deny. They are robbers by nature and are a law 
unto themselves, but if one appreciates that spirit of freedom 
and contempt for the soft civilization of plenty, they rank as 
nature’s foremost gentlemen. The chieftain of Ida, one 
George Nikolokakis, though doubtless a thorn in the side of 
the Cretan police and the officials, was kindness itself to me, 
and I look back to his rough kind face and his imperious 
manners, with a desire to accept his kind invitation to stop 
with him for a complete summer. 
Though I speak not a word of modern Greek, my derelict 
knowledge of ancient Greek was most useful. It was 
pleasant to hear the Chukar called a Caccaba,” the Vultures 
“ Gyps,” the Ravens “ Mavro Corax,” the Larks 44 Cory- 
dallos,” the Nightingale 44 JEdon,” the Swallow “ Chelidon,” 
and the Eagle “ iEtos.” 
Finally, I must again thank Dr. Hartert for the ungrudging 
help he always gives me at Tring, and Lord Rothschild for 
allowing me to make every use of his collection. 
Specimens were obtained of every species mentioned, 
unless it is stated to the contrary. Wing-measurements 
taken flat, culmen-measurements from the junction of upper 
mandible and skull. 
Corvus corax corax (L.). 
Two young males obtained, both moulting into adult 
plumage. They belong to the typical race, there being no 
trace of the oily blue on the wing-coverts or brown on the 
upper parts as in C. c. laurencei. 
Tt seems doubtful whether the Ravens of eastern Greece 
are C. c. laurencei, as stated by Reiser (Orn. Balcan. iii.). 
Gengler (J. f. 0. April 1919) thinks they are some un¬ 
described race, but the few I have seen myself in Greece 
are the typical race as in Crete (cf. also Stresemann, Avif. 
Macedon. p. 1). 
The Raven is to be seen at all elevations in Crete, breeding 
in the hills apparently in March, 
