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Disin^Miiow.— Cosmopolitan. A very 

 common resident in the Yangtse 

 Valley. 



Nest and Eggs. — The nests are bulky 

 structures of sticks and mud, lined with 

 roots. They are to be seen almost 

 everywhere in large trees. They are 

 usually roughly oval, with the entrance 

 at one side near the top. This en- 

 trance is frequently surrounded with 

 thorns, as a protection against in- 

 quisitive mai'auders. Sometimes new 

 nests are built on top of the old ones, 

 until they appear to have three or 

 four stories. 



There are six pale bluish green eggs, 

 very thickly spotted and speckled with 

 olive brown, and faintly blotched with 

 gray. 



Notes. — Magpies are said to pair for 

 life. Their presence is considered as 

 a good omen by the Chinese. To have 

 one call upon your approach is sure to 

 bring happiness. 



THE AZUEE-WINGED MAGPIE. 



CYANOPICA CYANUS SWINHOEI, 

 HAETERT. 



Description. — Length fifteen inches. 

 Bill, tarsus, and iris, black. 



Most of the head black. Eest of the 

 body bluish gray, darker above than 

 below. Wings and tail azure blue. 

 The terminal half of the external 

 webs of the tail quills are bordered 

 white, and the central feathers are 

 tipped white. 



Distribution. — Spain, Morocco, 

 eastern Siberia, and Japan. The curious 

 fact that this bird is found in Spain, 

 and is next met with in China, not be- 

 ing found in the intervening countries, 



