DENDKOCITTIN^E. 313 



Buch. Hamilton states that it is said to be trained in Tipperah 

 to hunt. like a hawk, and catch small birds. 



Another very closely allied species, Cissa thalassina, Temminck, is 

 found in Sumatra ; and a beautiful species has lately been found in 

 Ceylon, Cissa ornata, Wagler, (C. puella, Blyth,) which has a ches- 

 nut head, neck and wings; the rest of the body bright cobalt blue. 



The next sub-family have still shorter and more rounded wings, 

 and are, perhaps, still more arboreal. 



Sub-fam. Dendrocittinje. 



Syn. Calloeatince, Gray — Glaucopina, Swainson and Horsfield. 



Bill short, with the culmen much elevated and curved, quite 

 entire at the tip, gonys straight ; commissure curved ; nares pro- 

 tected by dense, velvety, short feathers ; wings short, rounded ; tail 

 long, graduated ; tarsus short, stout ; feet arboreal with the lateral 

 toes slightly unequal. 



The Tree-crows or Magpies differ from the Jays by their still 

 shorter, more curved beaks, more rounded wings, and strictly 

 arboreal habits. They frequent forests in the hills, and well- 

 wooded districts, and several are peculiar to the Himalayas, others 

 to the hill ranges of Southern India, one only being found 

 throughout the plains. They feed both on fruit and insects, and 

 occasionally even capture young and sickly birds. They only 

 take short flights, have loud chattering notes, and are mostly 

 confined to the Indian province, one genus only being African, 

 for I exclude tlie Australian birds generally placed here by Gray 

 and others, Glaucopis and Struthideu {vide, page 10). 



Gen. Dendrocitta, Gould. 



Char. — Bill short or moderate, compressed, well curved from the 

 base; nostrils small, basal, concealed by short incumbent feathers; 

 wings short, rounded, 5th and 6th qu'lls longest, 4th, sub-equal ; 

 secondaries nearly as long as the primaries ; tail elongate, wedge- 

 shaped, with the two central feathers produced ; feet moderate or 

 short, arboreal ; middle toe short, lateral toes unequal, hind toe 

 and claw rather large. 



This is a peculiarly Indian iiroup, one or two species only 

 extending into the Malayan countries. 



2 R 



