CISSA. 45 



Genus CISSA^Boie, 1826. 



The genus Cissa contains, among others, two Indian Magpies 

 of very beautiful plumage. They differ from the Magpies of the 

 genus Urocissa in having a much shorter tail and the eyelids 

 wattled at the edges, a feature which is very distinct in life and 

 generally visible in some degree in dry skins. 



Jerdon, very properly, placed this bird between Urocissa and 

 Dendrocitta, but wrongly called it a Jay. Gates, in view of its 

 long tail and bright coloration, more correctly termed it a Magpie, 

 a name which is now generally accepted. 



The Magpies of this genus are forest birds of shy habits, feeding 

 both on trees and low bushes and sometimes on the ground. In 

 the construction of their nests they resemble Urocissa and not 

 Pica. They have red bills. 



Davison has mentioned (S. F. vi, p. 385) that the habits of these 

 birds closely accord with those of Garrulax but the resemblance 

 is not very striking, although it is a curious fact that in structure 

 these two genera also possess certain affinities. 



Key to Species. 



A. Head aud neck green C. c. chinensis, p. 45. 



B. Head and neck chestnut C. ornatn, p. 4(3. 



(24) Cissa chinensis chinensis. 

 THE GREEN MAGPIE. 



Coracins chinensis Bodd., Tabl. PI. Enl., p. 38 (1783) (China). 

 Cissa chinensis. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 28. 



Vernacular names. The Green Jay, Jerdon ; Sirgang (Beng.) ; 

 Chap-ling-pho (Lepcha) ; Rab-ling-chapa (Bhutea) ; Pilitel (Dana 

 Hills) ; Lil Sorai (Assamese) ; Dao-yatany-lili (Cachari). 



Description. Head and neck greenish yellow; general body 

 plumage green; lores and a band through each eye meeting on the 

 nape, block ; cheeks, sides of neck and whole lower plumage paler 

 green ; tail green, the central feathers tipped with white, the 

 others tipped with white and with a subterminal black band ; 

 lesser wing-coverts green, the other coverts red ; quills brown on 

 the inner webs, red on the outer; the inner secondaries tipped 

 with pale blue and with a band of black in front of the tips. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris blood-red, pale blue-brown in young 

 birds ; bill deep coral-red ; legs coral-red ; claws horny red ; 

 eyelids yellowish brown, the edges red. 



Measurements. Total length about 370 to 380 mm. ; wing about 

 150 mm.; tail about 200 mm.; tarsus about 40 mm.; culmen 

 about 37 mm. 



The plumage of this bird in ill-health, in captivity and after 

 death changes greatly ; the yellow pigment all evaporates, leaving 



