CORVID^ — THE CROWS — PICA. 



295 



Pica Nuttalli, Audubon. 



THE YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE. 



Pica Nultalli, AuDnBON-, Orn. Bitjf,'. IV. 1838, 4.iO ; ]>1. .362. Ib. Birds Amer. IV. 1S42, 

 104; pi. 228. — Nltt.\li., Man. I. 2cl td. 1840, 236. — Xemberry, IJep. P. R. K. VI. 

 iv. 1857, 84 ; pi. 26. — B.uuD, 1'. R. Rep. IX. Binis, 578. — IIeeem.vnn, X. vi. 54.— 

 Cleples Nultalli, Ga.mbel, J. A. N. Sc. Ph. 2d 8erie.s, I. 1847, 46. 



Sr. ClI.M!. Pill, niid ii:ikc(l skin lirhiml llic cyu, ljrii;lit vrllnw. Tin; 1h-11_v, so-a]mlars, 

 ami iiunT webs (it'tln.' priiiiuries whiti- ; liiml part of back grayish ; exposed jiortiou ol'tlio 



tail feathers glossy green, tingetl with purple and violet near tlie end ; wings glossed with 

 green ; the secondaries and tertials blue ; throat feathers sjjotted with white. Length, 

 17.00; wing, 8.00; tail, 10.00. 



Ilah. California, west of the Sierra Nevada. 



Tliis magpie is abundant in the valleys of California, especially near the 

 middle of tlie State, except in the spring montlis, -when I have seen none in 

 Santa Clara A''aUey, and supijose they must liave retired into some of the 

 mountains east-ward to Ijuild nests. There were none certainly at that time 

 in the Coast liange west of that vaUey. At Santa Barbara, however, I found 

 tliem numerous in April and May, and saw their nests in oak-trees, but the 

 young were Hedged liy the 25th of April. The nest is composed of a large 

 mass of coarse twigs twisted together in a spherical form, with a hole in the 

 side. The eggs resemble those of the other species, whicli are whitish-green, 

 spotted with cinereous-gray and oli\'e-bro\\ u. They breed abundantly about 

 IMonterey. 



