THE BIRDS OF INDIA. I93 



with a purple tinge ; the bill is coral, the legs reddish 

 orange, and the eyes red. In length the occipital blue pie 

 measures 26 inches, 17 to 18 of which belong to the tail. 



It inhabits the lower langes of the Himalayas, nesting 

 in high trees, and down to a height of from 8 to 10 feet 

 above the ground. The eggs number from three to five, 

 are of a dull greenish grey with brown spots. 



It is terrestrial in habit, seeking food on the ground, and 

 bears confinement well. 



Yellow'-Billed Blue Pie. — The head, neck, and breast 

 are black ; there is a narrow white occipital band ; the 

 upper plumage is purple, shading to blue on the upper tail 

 coverts ; the bill is yellow\ It inhabits the same localities 

 as the last, and feeds chiefly on insects. It lays from three 

 to live greenish fawn-coloured eggs, lightly blotched with 

 brown. 



Hunting Crow. — This magnificent specimen of the crow 

 family is brilliant green, of the shade called chrysoprase, 

 which fades gradually to a bluish greenish yellow on the 

 head, the long feathers of which are capable of being 

 raised into the form of a crest ; black lines proceed from 

 the lores, passing through the eyes to the nape ; the wing 

 coverts and primaries are dark red, fading to rusty brown ; 

 the secondaries are tipped with pale bluish green, and 

 broadly edged with black ; the central tail feathers have 

 white tips, and the others are black and white ; the bill 

 and the legs are coral red. 



This bird, which is frequently tamed and trained to 

 hunt small birds, feeds naturally on insects for the most 

 part. It is verj^ shrike-like in its habits, and is mostly 

 found in the South-East Himala3'as. 



Wandering Pie. — In this species the head, neck, and 

 breast are of a dull sooty-brown colour, which is deepest 

 on the forehead, chin, and throat ; the scapulars are black. 



