unocissA. -1 3 



Nidificatioii. Similar to that of occipitalis, but the eggs are 

 quite ditTerent. The ground-colour seems always to be a very 

 pale salmon or pink stone-colour and the marks consist of light 

 reddi^^h blotches and freckles over the whole suiface, with 

 numerous others underlying them of pale neutral tint. Eggs 

 taken by Col. Bingham and by Messrs. Hopwood, Mackenzie and 

 Haringion were all of this description and I have seen none of 

 occipitalis anvthing like them. The full clutch nuudjers three to 

 six. 



The breeding season is March to April in Lower Burma, April 

 and May in Upper Burma. 



Haljits. This bird is said to come right down into the plains 

 in winter and even to breed at very low elevations. In Assam 

 and jS'orthern Burma it keeps to the higher ranges and is seldom 

 found below 5,000 feet. 



They are said to keep mnch to the deciduous forests in Burma, 

 but in Assam haunt rhododendron, oak and mixed evergreen 

 foi'ests. 



Urocissa fiavirostris. 



Keif to Suhspecies. 



A. Under parts a rather dark hhic ^'^- ./• favirostris. p. 43. 



B. Under parts almost pure white U. f. cucnUuta, p. 44. 



(22) Urocissa fiavirostris fiavirostris. 

 The Yelloav-billej) Magpte. 



Psilorhiiiusjlavirosfris Bljth , J. A.S. J3., xv, p. :^8 (184G) (Darjeeliiig). 

 Urocissa Jlcivirostris. Blanf. & Dates, i, p. "27. 



Vernacular names. Ti/inr/-jon(/rinc/ (Lepcha) ; Piawjing-jahrinri 

 (Bhutea). 



Description. Head, iieck and breast black, the mipe m bite and 

 the feathers of the crown tipped white ; back, scapulars, rum]) 

 and upper tail-coverts purplish ashy, the last tipped black and 

 with a narrow pale band in front of the black ; wing-coverts, the 

 otiter webs of the primaries and outer secondaries and the whole 

 of the inner secondaries purplish blue ; all the quills tipped 

 white, the earlier primaries whitish on the terminal half of the 

 outer web ; tail blue with a broad white tip and all Imt the 

 central pair of feathers with a subterminal black band; lower 

 plumage from the breast downwards lilac tinged with purple. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris bright yellow ; bill pale wax- 

 yellow to a strong wax-yellow; legs and feet bright orange-yellow. 



Measurements. Length about 630 to 650 mm.; wing from 

 178 to I'JO mn;. ; tail up to 470 mm. ; cidmen about 65 mm. 



The female is similar to the male but generally smaller, wing 

 170 to ISO mm. and the iris is a dull blue-brown. 



