GAJJKULUS. 63 



Nidification. This Jay breeds in the Chin Hills in April and 

 probably Mav between 3,500 and 5,000 feet. Mr. J. M. D. Mac- 

 kenzie describes a nest as " a shallow cup in a low tree in scrub 

 jungle on a steep hillside. It was placed about 10 feet up and 

 made entirely of roots with a few scraps of moss outside. It 

 measured externally 6"x2|", inside 4|"x2"." 



The eggs are like those of the Burmese Jay but the few I have 

 seen average smaller, being about 29 - 5x23'l mm. 



The hen sits very close and has literally to be driven from the 

 nest. 



Habits. Messrs. Hop wood and Mackenzie found this Jay fairly 

 common in the Chin Hills, keeping to hillsides with oak and scrub 

 forest. Voice, flight and habits generally are in no way dis- 

 tinguishable from other species of the same genus. They report 

 this Jay as moving about fairly widely in the spring and autumn, 

 visiting comparatively low valleys in the winter 'but always 

 breeding at over 4,000 feet. 



G-arrulus bispecularis 



Key to Subspecies. 



A. The palest of all the forms. Throat vinaceous 



like head G. b. bispecularis, p. 63. 



B. Darker and browner and less vinaceous ; 



throat and lower breast about the same 



colour G. b. interstinctus, p. 64. 



C. Still darker and browner ; throat and breast 



concolorous G. b. persaturatus.y. 65. 



D. Above very rich red-vinaceous ; throat and 



sides of head much paler ; forehead faintly 



streaked G. b. haringtoni, p. 65. 



E. Above rich red-vinaceous ; throat almost 



pure white and sides of head paler ; fore- 

 head faintly streaked G. b. rufescens, p. 65. 



It is very doubtful whether the whole of the Garruli should not 

 be treated as subspecies of the same species in so far as leucotis 

 and bispecularis are concerned, ffaritiytoni in many ways links 

 up the white-eared forms with the dark-eared ones but the 

 breeding areas still require to be carefully worked out and, until 

 this is done, it seems desirable to keep them apart. 



The above key is a far from satisfactory one but may suffice to 

 enable students who know whence their specimens come to 

 identify them. 



(42) Garrulus bispecularis bispecularis, 

 THE HIMALAYAN JAY. 



Garrulus bispecularis Vigors, P. Z. S., 1831, p. 7 (Himalayas) ; 



Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 39. 

 I restrict the type-locality to Murree, Punjab. 



