418 PICA 



Tibet, Mongolia, China, and Japan; America from Alaska to 

 Arizona, east to the Missouri river. 



In habits the Magpie varies according to circumstances, for 

 in England where it is persecuted, it is extremely shy and 

 wary, but elsewhere, where not molested, it is tame and con- 

 fiding. It feeds on small mammals, carrion, and any animal 

 food, eggs, young birds, insects, worms, fish (on the coasts), and 

 even on fruit. Its note is a harsh chatter, somewhat modulated 

 during the breeding season. Its flight is laboured and weak 

 and it seldom flies far before seeking shelter. Its nest which 

 is a bulky domed structure of sticks and turf worked together 

 in the foundation with clay or earth, and the cup lined with 

 fine roots or grass, is placed on a tree or hedge, sometimes in 

 a low bush. The eggs, 6 to 8 or even 9 in number, are laid 

 early in the season, and are pale bluish white closely spotted 

 with brown or greenish brown, sometimes yellowish brown 

 spotted with olive, and in size average about 1*48 by 0'94. 



Specimens from Turkestan and Tibet (P. leucoptera) have 

 more white on the quills, and those from Kamchatka (P. 

 camtschatica. Stejn) are even whiter, others from Sikhim and 

 Bhutan (P. lottanensis) are said to have the rump entirely black 

 and have accordingly been separated specifically from P. rustica 

 by some authors, but these differences are not constant. In 

 Western N. America P. nuttalli, Aud. occurs, which has the 

 beak and bare orbital skin bright yellow. 



597. MOORISH MAGPIE. 

 PICA MAURITANICA. 



Pica mauritanica, Malh. Mem de la Soc. d'Hist. Nat. de Metz, p. 7 

 (1843) ; Levaill.jr. Expl. Sclent. d'Alger. Atl. Ois. pi. 8 ; Dresser, iv. 

 p. 519, pi. 260, fig. 1 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. iii. p. 66 ; Koenig 

 J.f.O. 1895, Taf. vi. figs. 4a, b (eggs). 



L'Agaag, Arabic. 



ad. (Algeria). Differs from P. rustica in having a conspicuous bare, 

 bright cobalt blue spot behind the eye, the rump black, not white ; the 

 black on the breast extends further down, and the head and back are more 

 glossed with green. Culmen T45, wing 6'2, tail 107, tarsus 1*75 inch. 



Hob. N.W. Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, &c.) 



In habits it does not differ from P. rustica, and its nest and 

 eggs closely resemble those of that species. The eggs are 

 usually deposited in May. This species is especially victimized 

 by Coccystes glandarius. 



