64 COKVIDJC. 



Obs. Having examined vritli care the large series of Magpies pos- 

 sessed by the Museum, I can only recognize three species ; and this 

 is the conclusion arrived at by Mr. Dresser, who also worked with 

 the same series. The following is a synopsis of the measurements, 

 not only of the birds in the National collection, but also of those 

 lent to me by Mr. Swinhoe and Dr. Anderson : — 



Culmeu. Wing. Tiiil. Tarsus, 



in, in. in. iu. 



1. Great Britain .... 1-4 -1-5 7-6-7-8 100-10 2 2 



2. Sweden 1-5 7-4-7-8 0-.3- 9 5 I-8o-L-95 



3. Belgium 1-5 77 10 3 1-9 



4. France 1-5 8-1 118 2 



5. Silesia 1-5 77 101 2 



G. Sicily 1-55 8-2 10-S 2 



7. Tm-kev l-o5 7-6 9 5 1-9 



8. Erzeroum 1-4 7-65 10-2 1-9 



9. Persia 1-5 8-4 11-5 2 



10. Cashmere 1-4 -1-0 7-8-8-4 9 7-10-5 . 1-7 -1-9 



11. Central Asia . . . . 1-35-1-5 8-2-9-3 9-7-12 1-85-2 



12. Japan 1-4 -1-45 7-5-8 9-2-10-2 1-9 -2 



13. N. China 1-35-1-55 7-9-8-(3 9-3-10 1-85-2-2 



14. Formosa 1-45-1-55 7-9-8-6 90-9-5 1-95-2-1 , 



15. Hainan 1-5 -1-0 7-4-7-9 8-5-9-4 1-85-2 



16. Szechuen 1-4 7-8 10 1-9 



17. Burmah, Bbamaii . 1-45-1-6 79-8-3 90-10-5 1-95-2-05 



18. Kakhveu hills. ... 1-5 -1-6 8-2-8 7 10-4-I0-5 2-15-2-2 



19. North America . . 1-35-1-5 7-6-8-5 9 5-12-3 1-7 -2 



I believe that the above table of measurements cfiectuaUy shows 

 that there is no dependence to be placed on the size of the birds to 

 warrant their being subdivided into seven species, as is done again 

 by Mr. G. E. Gray in the ' Hand-list.' The distinctions of colour 

 pointed out by Mr. Gould and others are equally worthless when a 

 sufficient number of specimens have been got together. The white 

 on the wing varies also to such an extent that P. leucoptera of 

 Central Asia can only be regarded as a barely recognizable race ; 

 and Dr. SevertzofF tells me that some Magpies killed by himself in 

 Central Russia exhibited a tendency to a greater amount of white 

 on the primaries. 



A curious intermediate race occurs in Southern Spain, whence 

 Mr. Howard Saunders possesses an interesting series, which show a 

 tendency to a whoUy black ramp and a bare spot behind the eye. 

 Two Portuguese specimens also exhibit these peculiarities ; but even 

 here the characters are not constant ; for in some specimens an ashy 

 grey band is apparent on the rump, though this is never so con- 

 spicuous as in tnie Pica jtica, the nearest approach to any appear- 

 ance of white being in a Seville male, which has a slight shade near 

 the base of some of the rump-feathers ; a bird from Granada also 

 has a certain appearance of white on these plumes. 



a. Ad. sk. England. J. Gould, Esq. [C.]. 



h. S ad. St. Devonshu-e. Col. Montagu [P.]. 



c. (S ad. sk. Hampshire, March 1862. J. Gould, Esq. [C.]. 



