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The Descent of Man

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cies possessed in Southern India a well-marked<br />

occipital crest formed <strong>of</strong> several graduated<br />

feathers." (39. Jerdon, 'Birds <strong>of</strong> India,' vol. i. p.<br />

108; and Mr. Blyth, in 'Land and Water,' 1868,<br />

p. 381.)<br />

<strong>The</strong> following case is in some respects more<br />

interesting. A pied variety <strong>of</strong> the raven, with<br />

the head, breast, abdomen, and parts <strong>of</strong> the<br />

wings and tail- feathers white, is confined to<br />

the Feroe Islands. It is not very rare there, for<br />

Graba saw during his visit from eight to ten<br />

living specimens. Although the characters <strong>of</strong><br />

this variety are not quite constant, yet it has<br />

been named by several distinguished ornithologists<br />

as a distinct species. <strong>The</strong> fact <strong>of</strong> the<br />

pied birds being pursued and persecuted with<br />

much clamour by the other ravens <strong>of</strong> the island<br />

was the chief cause which led Brunnich to conclude<br />

that they were specifically distinct; but<br />

this is now known to be an error. (40. Graba,<br />

'Tagebuch Reise nach Faro,' 1830, ss. 51-54.

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