COTVUS rhipidUTUS Hartert. FANTAILED RAVEN.
Bill short and much curved ; nasal bristles fan-shaped, pointing upwards ; primaries and secondaries very long in pro portion to tail, which is short and broad. Wing 340-410. Tail 140-16o. Tarsus 55. Bill 50-60 (H.).
Resident.—N.E. Africa, Middle and Upper Egypt, Arabia, and Palestine.
9 Black, glossed with blue and violet ; neck (sides and behind), back, and underparts ashy grey. Bill, legs and feet black. Wing 315-338, 9 295-319. Tarsus 53-60. Bill 46-52.
reeds.—Europe generally, E. and N. of a line from Elbe and Rhine down to Italy ; Ireland, Isle of Man, Mid and N. Scotland, Fames. Partial migrant ; occurs in winter Holland, Belgium, England, Switzerland, \V. Germany. Of rare occurrence in N.W. Africa. Interbreeds with "C. corone" and hybrids are fertile.
C. cornix sardonius Kleinschmidt. Smaller. Wing 6 280 324, 9 27S-317 (Meinertzhagen).
Resident—Corsica, Sardinia, Balkans, Palestine, Egypt.
C. cornix kaukasicus Genglcr. Grey with strong brown tinge, especially on back ; shaft streaks dark grey, not very conspicuous ; wings also strongly tinged with brown, neck lighter blue gloss ; bases of feathers pale grey.
Resident.—Caucasus.
C. cornix minor Meinertzhagen. Nearest "C. c. pallescens" from Cyprus, a very pale form approaching "C. capellanus" from the Persian Gulf, but differs in longer wing and deeper and longer beak. Wing 313-327 ("pallescens" 294-299). Culmen 55-61, height 20-22 (" pallescens" 49-56, height 17.5-19). (Meinertzhagen.) Resident—Crete ; may prove to occur also in Greek islands.
Corvus corone corone L. CARRION CROW. Fr. Corneille noir ; Ger. Rabenkrahe ; Ital. Cornacchia nera.
9 Black, glossed with purple, greener on wings and tail ; nostrils covered with feathers. Bill, legs and feet black. Wing 310-324. Tarsus 52-59. Bill 47-52. Young may be distinguished from those of Rook by white bases to feathers of body.
Breeds.—England, S. and C. Scotland, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, France, N. Spain and Portugal, \V. Germany, Switzer land, Bohemia, N. Italy, and from E. Russia east to Yenisei. Largely resident ; occurs in winter in C. and S. Italy, and W. Mediterranean Isles, Azores and Madeira.
Corvus frugilegus frugiIegus I.. Rook. Fr. Corbeau Freux ; Ger. SuatkMhe ; //a/. Corvo nero ; Swear. Raka.
6 9 Black, glossed with purple and violet ; bases of feathers grey ; bill more slender and pointed than in "corone" ; base of bill and front part of face bare and skin very rough. Bill, legs
and feet black. Wing 292-320. Tarsus 52-54. Bill 49-54. Young are duller, with root of bill feathered and nostrils covered.
Breeds.—Europe generally, including British Isles, from about N., south to S. France, N. Italy, Dobrudscha, Crimea. Occurs in winter Spain, Portugal, Mediterranean basin and islands. Algeria (occasional), Egypt, Caucasus, Azores (occasional), Madeira (rare). Migrates from northern part of breeding range. Resident Britain, and many migrants come there in winter from East.
Corvus monedula monedula L. JACKDAW. Fr. Choucas gris ; Ger. Dohle ; Pa/. Taccola ; Swed. Kaja.
? adult. Black, glossed purple and green on wings and tail ; crown bright purple, back and rump greyer, nape and neck whitish grey, whiter (almost forming a white patch) on sides ; beneath dark slate grey with a brown tinge. Bill, legs and feet black. Iris bluish white. Wing 220-243. Tarsus 42-46. Bill 28-32.
Breeds.—Scandinavia, Finland, Baltic Provinces. Possibly some migrate, but has not yet been recorded as occurring elsewhere.
C. monedula spermologus Vieillot. Darker, especially on underparts ; neck not so pale grey and no indication of white neck patches.
Breeds.—British Isles ; Europe south of range of typical " monedula " and west of Russia, to Italy, Sicily, Malta, Sardinia and Morocco. Partly migratory ; occurs in winter in Corsica, Greece, Canary Islands (rare).
C. monedula collaris Drummond. Paler on underparts than preceding forms ; white neck patches almost form a collar.
Breeds.—Russia, Balkan States, Greece, Caucasus. Also W. Asia (Asia Minor to Kashmir). Occurs in winter in E. Prussia and Poland, but is largely resident.
C. monedula cirtensis Rothschild and Ilartert. Paler than " spermologus," pure slate grey with no brown tinge, neck greyer. In worn plumage very brown, and sometimes brown feathers, especially on wings, survive the moult and arc found in winter with fresh grown grey feathers.
Resident.—Constantine, N. Algeria.