46 CORVID,!;. 



the bright greeu a dull blue whilst tlie red also fades greatly, 

 j'oung birds occasionally have the whole lower parts almost white 

 and in some adults the green is partially replaced by bright azure- 

 blue. 



Distribution. Himalayas from the Jamna Valley to the extreme 

 east of Assam, North and South of the Bramaputra, Eastern 

 Bengal, Burma, Shan States and Northern Siam. 



Nidification. The breeding season in the Himalayas commences 

 in the last few days of March and continues through April and May, 

 a few birds laying in June and even in July but these latter may 

 be second broods. They build cup-shaped nests of twigs, leaves, 

 grass, roots and bamboo-leaves, lined with roots and placed on a 

 high bush, small sa[ding or a clump of bamboos. The eggs number 

 from four to six, in Burma often oidy three and are ver})- magpie- 

 like in their general appearance, but more grey and not green in 

 general tone. Here and there a rather reddish clutch may be 

 found and even more rare, a clutch that is almost white. They 

 measure on an average for 200 eggs 30-2 x 22-9 nun. 



This Jav breeds at all elevations from the foot-hills to nearly 

 4,000 feet, but is not common above 2, .500 feet. 



Habits. This beautiful Magpie is an inhabitant of low- 

 level, evergreen forests and heavy jungle, but may also be found 

 in bamboo-jungle and the more dry, deciduous forests, such as 

 oak, etc. in Burma they seem to be M)ore often found in dry 

 open parts than in the heavier evergreen cover. Their name 

 "Hunting Jay," or "Hunting Magpie," is w^dl applied, as they 

 are determined hunters of big insect life and of small unfledged 

 birds, etc., and for their quarry they will regularly quarter the 

 country they work over. They feed alike on high trees, scrub- 

 jungle and actually on the ground itself. Their notes are very 

 iiarsh and strident and they are rather noisy birds although shy 

 and wild. 



(25) Cissa ornata. 



The Ceylonese Magpie. 



Pica ornata "\V;i<?ler, Isis, 1829, p. 749 (India Orientaii). 

 Cissa ornata. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. l'9. 



Vernacular names. Kaldbella (Ceylon). 



Description. AVhole h.ead, neck, upper back and upper breast 

 rich chestnut ; remainder of the body plumage brigiit blue, suffused 

 with cobalt next the chestnut of the neck ; tail blue tipjjed with 

 Avhite and subterminally with black; wing-coverts brown, more or 

 less margined and suffused with blue ; quills chestnut on the 

 outer webs, black on the inner, clianging to blue on the inner 

 secondaries ; thighs dusk v purple. 



r Colours of soft parts. Iris light brown to dark brown; eyelid 

 deep red; orbital skin somewhat paler; bill, legs and feet coral- 

 red, claws more horny and yellowish at their bases. 



