28 



Habits, fyc. This Magpie, which has the same habits as the last, 

 breeds from April to August, building a large nest of twigs and 

 roots most commonly in oak trees, up to 30 feet or more from the 

 ground. The eggs, usually four in number, are of the Magpie type 

 and measure 1-3 by -92. 



There are two Chinese species of Blue Magpies, neither of which, 

 however, is likely to occur within the limits of India. 



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 I think, places this bird between Urocissa and 

 Dendrocitta, but wrongly calls it a Jay. I think it may be better 

 termed a Magpie, in view of its long tail and bright coloration. 



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

 a good deal 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) how closely the habits 

 of these Magpies accord with those of Oarrulax. They are more- 

 over closely allied to that genus in structure and form a link between 

 the Corvidce and the Crateropodidce. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Head and neck green C. chinensis, p. 28. 



b. Head and neck chestnut C. ornata, p. 29. 



14. Cissa chinensis. The Green Magpie. 



Coracias chinensis, Bodd. Tabl. PL Enl. p. 38 (1783). 



Corvus speciosus, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vii, p. 364 (1809). 



Kitta venatorius, Gray in Hardiv. 111. Ind. Zool. i, pi. 24 (1832). 



Cissa venatoria, Gray, Blyth, Cat. p. 92. 



Cissa sinensis (JSriss.), Horsf. fy M. Cat. ii, p. 575; Jerd. B. 1. ii, 



p. 312 j Godw.-Aust. J. A. S. B. xxxix, pt. ii, p. 109. 

 Cissa speciosa (Shaw), Hume, N. $ E. p. 421 ; id. S. F. iii, p. 145, 



iv, p. 509 ; Bingham, S. F. v, p. 85. 

 Cissa chinensis (Bodd.), Sharps t Cat. B. M. iii, p. 85 ; Hume fy Dav. 



S. F. vi, p. 385 ; Hume, Cat. no. 673 ; Oates, B. B. i, p. 406 ; 



Hume, S. F. xi, p. 258 ; Oates in Hume's N. $ E. 2nd ed. i, p. 17. 



The Green Jay, Jerd. ; Siraana, Beng. ; Chap-ling-pho, Lepch. ; Rab- 

 ling-chapu, Bhut. ; Pilitel, Dafla Hills. 



Coloration. Head and neck greenish yellow ; general body- 

 plumage green ; the lores and a band through each eye, the two 

 meeting behind on the nape, black ; the cheeks, sides of neck, and 

 lower plumage paler green ; tail green, the central feathers tipped 

 with white, the others tipped with white and with a subterminal 



