on the Birds of Suiilh-Eastern China. 27 



■VN'ith full clutches. Fresh eggs were found, however, from 

 February 5th to INIa}^ 6th ; and of thirty-one nests, three 

 had eight eggs, seven had seven, seventeen had six, and four 

 had five — six therefore is the usual clutch. 



Urocissa erytiirorhynciia. 



The Chinese Blue Magpie is a very common resident 

 at Hong Kong, wiiere the amount of woodland is far in 

 excess of anything to be found on the adjacent mainland, 

 and where also there is practically no molestation. On 

 the island of Hong Kong this species is not only abundant, 

 but exceedingly tame and easy of observation. On the 

 adjacent mainland, although it is present in the better 

 wooded ])arts, it is never plentiful and very shy and 

 wary. 



This species is one which almost invariably goes about in 

 small ])arties of four or more, and even in the breeding- 

 season this ari'angement holds good to some extent. 



It is a bold and jiredatory species, robbing the nests of 

 smaller birds of eggs and young on every possible occasion, 

 and even attacking those of such large birds as its relative, 

 the Common Magpie, which it was several times observed to 

 do with success. So well are its thievish habits known to 

 other species, that its appearance in the vicinity of tiieir nests 

 is invariably the signal lor a general clamour, and most of 

 them will boldly attack the robber. 



Copsychus saularis, the Magpie-Eobin, always the boldest* 

 of the bold, will dash at the Blue Magpie even Avhen at a 

 distance of fifty yards from its nest, invariably driving it 

 away. At times, all the three s])ecies of Hong-Kong 

 Bulbuls combine and mob the would-be robber, and even 

 the Chinese Dove {Tariur chinensis) attacks this bird, dealing 

 very severe blows with its powerful wings in mid-air. Not 

 only does Urocissa rob nests of their contents, but a party 

 Avas seen to chase and catch a young Tailor-Bird (Sutoria) 

 which was well able to fly. 



The Blue Magpie is omnivorous ; small reptiles and 

 mammals, insects, various fruits and berries, and even 

 rubbish from human habitations, form its very mixed 



