26G 



NOUTII AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Pica caudata, A-ar. hudsonica, Bonap. 



MAGPIE. 



C'orvm phri, Ihhistkh, Pliil. Trans. LXXII, 1772, ;iS'i. —■Wilson, Am. Orn. IV, ISll, 7.">, 

 jil. XXXV. — 15oN. Olw. Wils. ISi"), No. Id. — In. Syii. 1S28, 57. — Xuitaix, Man. I, 

 1S32, 219. — Arn. Oni. liitig. IV, 1838, 408, pi. cedvii (not of I,inn/KIis). Corvua 

 luuhniiini, Jos. S.VBixK, App. Xarr. Franklin's JoiuiK'y, 1823, 25, 071. PicuH hud- 

 snnicii, HoxAP. List, 1838. — In. Conspeotus, 1850, 383. — Maxi.m. Uei.si! Nonl Amor. 

 1, 1830, 508. — In. Calmnis, .lonrn. 185(), 197. — Nkwbkuuy, Zoijl. C'al. k Or. lioiiti', 

 lii'p. r. K. R. VI, IV, 1857, 84. — I5aii!I), Birds N. Am. 1858, 570, pi. xxv. — Loiin, 

 Pr. \{. A. Inst. IV, 121 (lUitisli Columbia). — CVioi'KR & Sicki.kv, 213, pi. xxv. — 

 Dali. & liANSLsTKii, Tr. Chic. Ac. I, 1809, 280 (Alaska). — Fi.nscii, Abh. Nat. Ill, 

 1872, 39 (Alaska). — Cooi'Kl!, Orn. C'al. 1, 1870, 290. Ghptcs hadsonkus, (rA.MHKl,, 

 J. A. N. So. 2il Scr. I, Deo. 1847, 47. Pica mclaiiolcuca, " Vieill." Aud. Syii. 1839, 

 157. — Id. Birds Am. IV, 1842, 99, pi. cuxxvii. 



Sp. Cuak. Bill and naked skin behind the eye black. General color black. Tlio 



boll}', scapnlars, and inner webs of tiie 

 primaries white ; hind part of baek 

 grayish ; exposed portion of the tail- 

 feathers glossy green, tinged with 

 purple and violet near the end ; wings 

 glossed with green; the secondaries and 

 tertials with bine; throat-feathers .spot- 

 tiul with white in younger specimen.s. 

 Length, 19.00; wing, 8..50 ; tail, ],3.00. 

 Young in color and appearance similar 

 generally to tlu! adult. 



IIab. The northern regions of North 

 America. The middle .and western 

 Provinces of the Unite(l States exclu- 

 sive of California; Wisconsin, Miclii 

 gan, and Northern lUinoi.s, in winter. 



The American Mao'inc is al- 

 most exactly similar to the 

 European, ami differs only in 

 lai'oor size ami dispropijrtionably 

 lonjfer tail. According to Ma.vi- 

 milian and other authors, the 

 iris of the American bird lias a grayish-blue outer ring, wanting in the 

 European bird, and the voice is quite diflerent. It is, however, difficult 

 to consider the two birds otherwise than as geographical races of one primi- 

 tive stock. 



Habits. The American Magjiio has an extended western distribution 

 from Arizona on the south to Alaska on the northwest. It has been met 

 with as far to the east as the Missouri I'iver, and is found from there to the 

 racific. It is abundant at Sitka ; it was observed at <)unga, one of the 

 Shumagin Islands, and was obtained by Biscliofl'at Kodiak. 



Pirn niinnlU. 



