136 



difficult to say. The nest is constructed of twigs, usually of thorny trees, and 

 lined with grass, fibres, or other such soft materials. It breeds from April to 

 June. The eggs, generally four and sometimes five in number, vary much in 

 colour, size, and markings ; typical eggs may be said to be of a dirty greenish 

 white colour, richly blotched with reddish brown, purplish, or umber brown. 

 In size they also vary from 1-15 to ri8 X 0-85 to 0*87. 



135. Dendrocitta frontalis, Mcdeli., P. Z. S. 1839, P l6 3 ; 



Jerd. B. hid. ii. p. 317, No. 677 ; Sharps, Cat. B. Br. Mus. iii. p. 780. 

 Crypsirrhina frontalis, Blytli, J. A. S. B . xii. p. 933 ; xv. p. 30. Crypsirrhina 

 altirostris, -Blyth, J. A. S. B. xii. p. 932. The BLACK-BROWED MAGPIE. 



Hinder part of head, entire hind neck, mantle, sides of the neck, foreneck, 

 and breast whitish grey ; rest of head, sides of the face, entire throat, bastard 

 wing, primary coverts, quills, tail, bill and feet black ; upper surface orange 

 chestnut ; lower surface of body bright orange chestnut, deeper on the lower 

 tail coverts ; thighs and under wing coverts grey, washed with orange ; upper 

 wing coverts blue grey ; iris brownish red. 



Length. 14 inches; wing 5*15 ; tail 9-3; tarsus T2 ; culmen 1*05. 



Hab. The Himalayas. Recorded from Nepaul and Darjeeling ; also Sikkim 

 and Assam. 



Nothing is known of its habits and nidification. 



136. Dendrocitta leueogastra, Gould. P. Z. S. 1833, P- S7> et - 



Tr. Zool. Soc. I. p. 89, pi. 12 ; Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 317, No. 678 ; Hume, Nests 

 and Eggs, Ind. B. p. 424, No. 678 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. iii. p. 79 ; 

 Sir. F. iv. p. 402. The WHITE BELLIED MAGPIE. 



Crown of the head, sides of face, cheeks, throat, foreneck, tail, terminal third 

 of the two long central feathers, wings (except a white star patch at base of 

 primaries), thighs, under wing coverts and bill black ; back and scapulars 

 orange brown ; hind crown, hind neck, rump, upper tail coverts, under surface 

 of the body (except the under tail coverts, which are rufous), a band across the 

 inner lining of the quills white ; basal two-thirds of the long central tail 

 feathers grey ; bill black ; legs and feet dark plumbeous ; irides blood-red. 



Length. 1710 18 inches; wing 5*5 to 5 P 8; tail II to 1 1*5 ; tarsus 1*25 ; 

 culmen 1-3. 



Hab. Southern India, Malabar Coast and the Neilgherries ; also Peria 

 Forests, Wynaad, where it is said to be abundant. Jerdon gives Coorg 

 and Travancore, also, as countries where it is found. 



137. Dendrocitta himalayensis, Biyth. Ibis, 1865, p. 45 ; Hume 



Str. F. 1874, p. 480; id. Nests and Eggs, Ind. B. p. 423; Blyth B. Bur. 

 p. 88; Sharpe, Cat.B.Br. Mus. iii. p. 79; War -dlaw- Ramsay ', Ibis, 1877, 

 p. 459; Hume and Davison, Str. F. vi. p. 386; Hume, Str. F. vii. p. 106; 



