286 BULLETIISr 50, UNITED STATES NATIOKAL MUSEUM 



RiAM, North Am. Fauna, no. 16, 1899, 121 (Shasta Vallej^, etc., n. Cali- 

 fornia, Sept. 28). — Bates, Proc. Nebr. Orn. Un., sec. ann. meeting, 1901, 74 

 (Long' Pine and Kennedy, n. w. Nebraska, Sept. to Nov.; numerous). — 

 Gary, Auk, xviii, 1901, 235 (Black Hills, Wyoming, breeding; habits). — 

 Oberholser, Auk, xix, 1902, 300 (Guadalupe Mts., w. Texas). — -Johnson 

 (H. C. ), Condor, iv, 1902, 1-4 (American Fork, Utah; habits).— Bailey 

 (Florence M.), Handb. Birds W. U. S., 1902, 284. 



Clyanocephalus'} cyanocepltalus Rinaw ay , Man. N. Am. Birds, 1887, 364. 



Cyanoeephcdus wiedi Bonaparte, Obs. Stat. Zool. Eur. Vertebr., 1840-41 (1842) 

 (SeeSalvin, Ibis, 1873, 103). 



Cy anocorax cassini McCaIjX,, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., v, June, 1851, 216 (Santa 

 Fe, New Mexico). 



Cyanocorax cossmw Baikd, Stansbtiry's Rep. Gt. Salt Lake, 1852, 332 (Santa Fe). 



Genus PICA Brisson. 



Pico Brisson, Orn., ii, 1760, 35. (Type, Cbrvwsp/ea Linnaeus. ) 

 Cleptesd' Gambel, Journ. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 2d ser., i, Dec. 1847, 46. (Type, 

 Corvus liudsonius Sabine. ) 



Lar^e long-tailed Garrulinse with tenth (outermost) primary falcate, 

 the head without an}" crest, and the plumage black and white in large, 

 conspicuously contrasted areas/' 



Tail very long, forming much more than half the total length, 

 excessively graduated (lateral rectrices but little if any more than half 

 as long as middle pair), outermost primary narrow, falcate, about half 

 as long as ninth primary; bill rather stout (depth at nostrils more than 

 half the distance from nostrils to tip of maxilla), its width at base of 

 nasal plumes a little greater than its depth at the same point; nasal 

 plumes well developed, covering nearly basal half of maxilla; tarsus 

 slender, about twice as long as distance from nostril to tip of maxilla; 

 middle toe (without claw) a little more than half as long as tarsus. 



Coloration. — Wings metallic greenish blue, varied with greenish 

 or violet (sometimes both), the inner webs of primaries chief}' white; 

 tail rich metallic green varied with bronze, purple, and violet near end; 

 scapulars, belly, sides, and flanks, pure white; other parts blackish. 



jVidification. — Nest in trees; nest proper more or less completely 

 inclosed within an open ''lattice-work" of large dead twigs. Eggs 

 7-10, dull grayish white or pale grayish (sometimes slightly greenish), 

 densely speckled with grayish brown or olive. 



Rcmge. — Paltearctic Region and western portion of Nearctic Region. 



The genus Pica is most nearly related to the Palpearctic genus Cyano- 

 polius Bonaparte,^ but differs conspicuously in the falcate first pri- 



a " KXhitrrfc,, a thief." 



* Whence the term "pied." 



c Oyanopolius Bonaparte, Rej). Brit. Assoc. Adv. Sci., 1849, 75. (Type, C. cooki 

 Bonaparte. ) — Cyanopica Bonaparte, Proc. Zool. Soc. Loud., 1850, 86. (Type, C. vaillanti 

 Bonaparte, = Cort7/s cyanus Pallas.) — Dolometis Odhanis, Mus. Hein., i, Oct., 1851, 222. 

 (Type, Corvus cyanus Pallas. ) 



