21 
Ornithology of Cyprus. 
many eggs in all stages of incubation: they appear typical 
in colouring but are rather small, the average of a dozen 
being L34x *98 inch. 
Whatever may be the status of the form C. collaris 
Drummond, there is no doubt that in very many Cypriote 
specimens the nuchal collar is extremely white ; but this is 
by no means invariably the case, and, so far as I can judge, 
it is partially a sign of age ; but, in any case, one can always 
see birds with almost every grade of colour. 
602. Corvus cornix Linn. 
Cor one pallescens Madarasz. 
The Grey or Hooded Crow is a very common resident, 
and, although I do not remember to have seen it close to the 
Troodos encampment (from which it is probably kept away 
by the multitude of Ravens), it is, elsewhere, a nuisance. 
Though a useful scavenger, it is very destructive to the 
young of poultry, game, and wild birds, and I have seen two 
kill a nearly full-grown tame pigeon. Horsbrugh saw a 
pair knock over a Magpie and rob it of a piece of meat. It 
is very abundant in the vicinity of the towns; it commences 
to nest at the end of March, and its behaviour is interesting 
at that period. Being compelled to build in trees, which 
are mostly easily accessible and close to dwelling-houses, it 
constructs a small well-concealed nest—usually at the top 
of a eucalyptus or fir—with the utmost secrecy, and though 
at other times an abominably noisy bird, it scarcely ever 
utters a note when near its breeding-place. 
Lord Lilford observed that the mantles of the Cypriote 
Hooded Crow were somewhat lighter in colour than in typical 
British specimens, and Madarasz, mainly on this difference, 
has separated the island bird under the name C. pallescens . 
From the many hundreds I have seen and perhaps twenty 
which I have handled, I should say, without hesitation, that 
the light parts of the plumage are vastly whiter than in 
British specimens. In addition to this, the local bird seems 
more compact and considerably smaller, and, in all which 
I have closely examined, the junction line between the white 
