338 INSESSORES. PICA. Magpie. 



ornithologists of the present day. Besides our well-known 

 bird, the Common Magpie, this genus contains several exotic 

 species, as Pica albicollis, Pica Erythorynchos^ Pica vagabun- 

 da, &c. ; of all which the Magpie perhaps approaches nearest 

 to the true Crows, the bill being longer and less curved than in 

 the other species, and the texture of the plumage not so silky, 

 or decomposed. Its members are also nearly connected with 

 the Jays (genus Garrulus), by the intervention of certain 

 species of the latter, in which the tail, instead of being square, 

 becomes slightly rounded, or cuneated. Their flight, from 

 the roundness of their wings, differs from that of the Crows, 

 and is supported by short and quick strokes. They are 

 omnivorous, and birds of a bold character ; and (like most 

 of the CorvidcB)y when tamed, are much addicted to carrying 

 off any glittering objects. They have rough and disagree- 

 able voices, but may be taught to whistle, and even to arti- 

 culate words with tolerable distinctness. 



MAGPIK 



Pica melanoleuca, Vieill. 

 PLATE XXXI. Fig. 2. 



Corvus Pica, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 157. 13 — Fau. Suec. No. 92 Gmel. Syst. 1. 



p. 373 Lath. Ind. Ornith. v. 1. 162. sp. 32 — Raii Syn. p. 41. A. 1.— 



Will. p. 87. t. 19 Briss. 2. p. 35. 1 Wils. Amer. Om." v. 4. p. 75, PI. 35. 



f. 2. 

 La Pie, Buff. Ois. v. 3. p. 85 — Id. PI. Enl. 488. 

 Pie, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. v. J. p. 113. 



Garten-Grabe, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 2. p. 1207 Frisch, Yog. t. 14. 



Magpie, Br. Zool. 1. No. 78. — Arct. Zool. 2. No. 66 Lewin's Br. Birds, 



t. 39 — Will. (Ang.) p. 127. t. 19 — Lath. Syn. 1. p. 392. 29 Id. Supp. 



p. 80 Mont. Ornith. Diet — Bewick's Br. Birds Pult. Cat. Dorset. 



p. 5 Don, Br. Birds, 4. t. 95 — Shaw's Zool. 7. p. 309 North. Zool. 2. 



292. No. 95. 



Provincial — Pianet, Madge. 



This common but handsome species is generally dispersed 

 througli the united kingdom, except in very mountainous 

 districts. It is a bird of a crafty and restless disposition, 



