BIRDS OF 



indistinctly streaked with darker. Upper mandible plumbeous-black, lower, 

 bluish-plumbeous ; iris deep-brown ; legs and feet brownish-black. Size, 

 slightly less than the preceding. 



HAB. Upper Mississippi Valley and the region of the Great Lakes. 



Nest, a hollow in the ground, lined with grass 



Eggs, 4 to 5 ; dull white marked with spots of brown and purple. 



As near as I can remember this species first appeared in 

 Ontario about the year 1868. It was noticed at once as being 

 different from our winter visitor, being less in size and its plum- 

 age having the ^washed-out look peculiar to the Prairie birds. 

 Since that time it has increased annually until it has become quite 

 established. T think they do not all leave in the fall, but that a 

 few remain and associate with the northern form, which arrives 

 from the north early in the winter. Great numbers appear in 

 February or early in March, and should the season be late they 

 swarm in the road tracks and bare places everywhere, waiting 

 for the disappearing of the snow, and even before it is quite gone 

 many pairs commence building their nests. Soon the flocks 

 separate, the birds scatter in pairs over the country, and are not 

 again seen in such numbers until the following season. 



There are now eight different species of the Genus Otocoris, 

 described as being found in North America. They have all a 

 strong family likeness, but differ sufficiently to warrant specific 

 distinction, though several of the groups are of very recent 

 formation. They are found mostly in the west and south-west, 

 only two species having, till now, been observed in Ontario. 



FAMILY CORVIDyE. CROWS, JAYS, MAGPIES, ETC. 

 SUBFAMILY GARRULIN^E. MAGPIES AND JAYS. 



GENUS PICA BRISSON. 



185. PICA PICA HUDSONICA. (SAB.). 475. 

 American Magpie. 



Bill black ; head,, neck, fore-part of the breast and back, black, glossed 

 with green and blue ; middle of the back, greyish-white ; scapulars, white ; 



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