Crown of the head, and upper parts of the body, bluish black; occiput and nape ash-gray.

C. Monedula, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. I. p. 111. Id. torn. III p. 60. Jackdaw, Mont. Orn. Diet. Selb. Must. vol. I. p. 356. pl. 31. f. 1. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 88.

Dimensions

Entire length twelve inches nine lines: length of the bill (from the forehead) one inch two lines, (from the gape) one inch five lines; of the tarsus one inch eight lines; of the tail four inches eleven lines; from the carpus to the end of the wing nine inches: breadth, wings extended, two feet three inches three lines.

Description

Much smaller than any of the foregoing species: crown of the head, and all the upper parts of the body, black, glossed with violet-blue; occiput and nape ash-gray: wings and tail the same as the back: under parts deep black, not so much glossed as the upper: bill and feet black: irides grayish white. Varies occasionally like the last species. (Egg). Pale bluish white, spotted with ash-colour and clove-brown: long. diam. one inch seven lines; trans, diam. one inch and half a line.

Common in all parts of the country. Much attached to churches and other buildings, especially such as are in a ruinous and deserted state. Builds in such situations, as well as in the holes of decayed trees; occasionally in chimnies, and even rabbit-burrows. Nest composed of sticks mixed up occasionally with horse-dung, and lined with wool and other soft substances. Eggs four to six in number. Gregarious like the last species, with which it often associates. Feeds on a great variety of animal and vegetable substances.

(2. Pica, Cuv).