UROCISSA. 



PLATE. 



Head, crown, neck and nape glossy purplish black, with a shade of shining 

 deep green on the crown ; chin and throat black, the shafts of some of the 

 feathers greyish white ; breast above black ; below white ; back black with 

 shining deep green reflections ; wings blue, the outer edge, primary coverts 

 and external web of primaries green ; shoulders white ; primaries black with 

 an elongated patch of white on the inner web of each of the first ten feathers ; 

 secondaries and tertiaries fine blue. Tail of bright iridescent blue and purple 

 shades terminally, green at the base and tipped dusky ; the inner webs of all 

 except the centre pair purplish black ; rump and upper tail coverts purplish 

 black. Under surface of body pure white ; lower abdomen and under tail 

 coverts purplish black, also the thighs and under wing coverts. 



Bill and legs black ; irides brown. 



Length, 16 to 16*5 inches ; wing 7-6 to 8'2 ; tail 97 to 10*5 ; tarsus 1*9 to 

 2 ; culmen 1*4 to 1*5. 



Hab. Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. Found in Spain, France, Italy, 

 Belguim, Sweden, Asia Minor and Siberia ; also in India, China, Japan and 

 the United States. It is common also in Upper Beloochistan, along the 

 BolanPass ; on the Khojuk,or Amran range of mountains; throughout Afghan- 

 istan, and the highlands of Persia, in British Burma, at Bhamo and on the 

 Khakyeen Hills and in Nepaul. 



Of the Magpie much need not be said. Even the schoolboy has it for his 

 lesson. It is a sly and wary bird, as well as crafty ; while being always on the 

 alert, its chatter and noise at the sight of almost any creature warn other 

 birds. The wing being short and rounded it has to fly with quick flappings 

 of its wings. Its food is chiefly insects, fruit and seeds. Nidification begins 

 in spring. The nest not unlike that of the crow is made of strong sticks and 

 twigs, cemented with mud and lined with grass, fibres, &c., and domed on 

 top, leaving an aperture on one side for entrance and exit. Eggs 68, 

 pale bluish white, spotted all over with grey and greenish brown. 



Gen. UrociSSa- Cab. 



Wings short and rounded ; tail with the two centre feathers longer than the 

 others, but not spathulate at tip. Head not crested. Eye without a nude space, 

 Bill stout, much curved. Nostrils not densely feathered. 



132. Urocissa occipitalis, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xv. p. 26 ; Jerd. B. 



Ind. ii. p. 309; Hume, Nest and Eggs, p. 419 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. iii. 

 p. 70 ; Hume, Sir. F. viii. p. 105 ; Scully, Str. F. viii. p. 327 ; Bingham, 

 Sir. F. ix. p. 191 ; Gates B. Br. Burmah i. p. 400. Psilorhinus magnirostris 

 JBl. J. A. S. B. xv. p. 27: Urocissa magnirostris, Bl. B. Burma, p. 88; 



