DEXDBOCITTA. 47 



Measurements. Total length about 400 to 420 mm. ; tail about 

 '235 to 255 mm.; wing about 155 to 170 mm.; tarsus about 40 mm.; 

 culmen about 37 mm. 



Distribution. Ceylon only. The type-locality must be restricted 

 to Ceylon. 



Nidification. According to Legge, the breeding season of the 

 Ceylon Magpie is December to February but eggs collected for me 

 by Mr. J. E. Jenkins were taken in February and March and two 

 clutches purchased with the skins of the old birds from Lazarus, 

 a small dealer in Slave Island, were both taken in April. 



The nest is said to be like that of the preceding bird and to be 

 in tall bushes in evergreen jungle. The eggs are large replicas of 

 those of Cissu cldnensis, measuring about 32'2 x 23-2 mm. 



Habits. Apparently similar to those of the Indian Green 

 Magpie; Legge describes it as haunting evergreen forest up to 

 at least 7,000 feet but also found it in similar forest in the 

 foot-hills. It is a noisy bird, uttering its discordant notes both 

 when perching and flying, so that but for its keeping to very dense 

 cover its voice would have led long ago to its extermination by 

 the plume-hunter. 



Genus DENDROCITTA Gould, 1833. 



In the Tree-pies \ve have a collection of birds which are closer 

 .to Pica than to either Urocissa or Cissa, inasmuch as they have 

 black bills and very numerous stiff, but somewhat short, bristles 

 completely concealing the nostrils. The bill, however, is short, 

 with the commissure greatly curved and in one species, D. bayleyi, 

 the tail approaches the next genus in structure, the central tail- 

 feathers being gradually enlarged throughout their length, not 

 suddenly at the tip as in Crypsirhina. 



The Tree-pies are sociable, associating in small flocks and they 

 are arboreal, seldom descending to the ground. They have a series 

 of clear metallic notes, whicb sound very pleasantly in the jungle. 

 They construct large nests, generally in trees, and lay eggs which 

 ai'e less Corvine in appearance than those of the true Magpies. 

 Their food consists of both fruit and insects. 



Key to Species. 



A. Tail asliy with black on terminal half. 



a. Grown brown, abdomen rufous D. rufa, p. 48. 



b. Crown black, abdomen and hind neck 



white D. leucogastra, p. 51. 



c. Crown black, abdomen and hind neck 



ashy I), sinensis, p. 52. 



B. Tail entirely black. 



d. No white spot on wing D.frontalis, p. 54. 



c. With a white wing-spot D. bayleyi, p. 55. 



