328 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 



to the colour of the bill, feet and irides (cf. S. F,, VI., p. 385.) 

 A reference to my notes above will, I believe, show that even 

 as to the colours of the soft parts no such constant difference 

 exists Of course, it is impossible to make certain that different 

 observers will note the colours of a bird in precisely the same 

 words ; but I can say that at least three of my Nepal specimens 

 have the bill even larger and deeper than in specimens from 

 Burmah ; while the colour of the bill and feet, in the dry state, is 

 as deep red as the finest Burmese birds. 



The Red-billed Blue Magpie is tolerably common in the valley 

 of Nepal throughout the year, at elevations of from 4,500 to 

 7,000 feet. It is usually found in the woods and forests, particu- 

 larly about cleared spaces in the latter, away from human habi- 

 tations ; but it is frequently seen close to hamlets and cowsheds, 

 and on one occasion I found it breeding within a few yards 

 of some houses on the hills. Its cry is very peculiar, a note 

 singularly high and squeaking for such a bird. 



672.— Urocissa flavirostris, Bly. 



Male^ Valley, July. — Length, 24; expanse, 22; wing, 7*3; 

 tail, 16'2 ; tarsus, 1'9 ; bill from gape, 1"66 ; bill at front, 1'4 ; 

 closed wings short of tail, 12-8 ; weight, 5"5 ozs. 



Female, Valley, June. — Wing, 7'1 ; tarsus, 1*7 ; bill from 

 gape, 1*6 ; bill at front, 1*4. 



Bill pale waxy yellow ; irides (in male only) bright yellow ; feet 

 bright orange yellow. 



This species is not included in the first edition (1846) of the 

 B. M. Catalogue of Mr. Hodgson's collections ; it is entered 

 in the second edition (1863), but the locality from which it was 

 obtained is not stated. 



The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie is found on the hills round 

 the Nepal Valley, and in the Nawakot district, but does not 

 appear to be at all common. A species of Urocissa is fairly 

 common about Bichiakoh, but whether it is flavirostris or 

 occipitalis I cannot say, as no specimens were secured. 



674.— Dendrocitta rufa, Scop, 



Male, near Retoura, December. — Length, 16' 6 ; expanse, 

 19'4; wing, 6-55; tail, 9*5; tarsus, 1*25; bill from gape, 

 1'35 ; bill at front, 1'02; closed wings short of tail, 7*0. 



Bill black, bluish grey horny at base ; irides dark brownish 

 red ; feet dusky. Hump decidedly paler than the upper back ; 

 outer webs of secondaries ashy grey, darker than the coverts, 

 with which they contrast markedly ; uropygials black at tip, 

 a pale greyish band above this, and the rest of the feathers 

 ashy grey ; lateral tail feathers with a broad subternainal black 

 band, conspicuously tipped with fulvous. 



