350 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 
. 
Famity CORVIDAL.—TueE Crows, Jays, Macpigs, etc. (Page 322.) 
Genera. 
a. Tail equal to or longer than wing; wing short, rounded, the primaries exceed- 
ing secondaries by much less than length of tarsus, the fourth, fifth, or sixth 
quills longest. (Subfamily Garruline.) 
6. Tail much longer than wing, graduated for half its length or more, the 
feathers becoming narrower toward tips. 
c’. Nostrils covered by bristles; head not crested; orbits partly naked; 
wings and tail metallic bluish and greenish, the latter without 
white tips; scapulars pure white.................... Pica. (Page 351.) 
c’. Nostrils exposed; head conspicuously crested; orbits entirely feath- 
ered; wings and tail plain cobalt-blue, the latter with broad white 
tips; scapulars blue, like back, etc.......... seseeressesecsseecees Calocittas 
vb’, Tail not much longer than wing, not graduated for more than about one- 
third its length (usually much less), the feathers not becoming narrower 
toward tips. 
c'. Head, neck, and chest uniform deep black; back glossy bright blue, in 
abrupt contrast with the black...... sttsescetessesecesceseeeses Cissolopha.? 
c’. Head, neck, and chest not uniform deep black, or else top of head con- 
spicuously crested; back not bright blue, or else top of head same 
color. 
ad. Nostrils exposed; large (wing more than 7.25, tail more than 
7.50). (Color chiefly dull brownish.) 
Psilorhinus. (Page 352.) 
d’. Nostrils covered; smaller (wing less than 7.00, tail less than 7.00). 
é'. Color chiefly blue or green. 
1 Calocitta Gray, List Gen. B. 1841, 50. Type, Pica formosa Swains. 
This genus contains two well-known species, one, C. colliet (Vic.), belonging to western Mexico (north 
to Mazatlan), the other, C. formosa (Swarns.), inhabiting southern Mexico, and southward to Costa Rica. A 
third species probably exists in the wooded districts in the interior of Lower California. C. collie? is perhaps 
the finest of all Garruline birds, measuring two to two and a half feet in total length (of which the tail consti- 
tutes about two-thirds); the colors are bright and boldly contrasted, while the crown is ornamented by a very 
conspicuous recurved crest. 
2 Cissolopha Bonap., Consp. i. 1850, 380. Type, Pica sanblusiana Larr. 
This genus includes two very beautiful species which come close to our limits, both occurring in the state 
of Sinaloa, western Mexico. The type of the genus, C. sanblasiana, has the head, neck, upper back, and lower 
parts uniform deep black, changing to dull blue on under tail-coverts, the upper parts bright cobalt- or azure- 
blue, becoming ultramarine blue on the tail; on the forehead there is a slender, hair-like crest, and the nostrils 
are partly—sometimes wholly—exposed; bill and feet usually deep black, sometimes bright yellow; length 
about 12.00, wing 5.25-5.50, tail 6.00-6.50. Hab. Western Mexico, north at least to Mazatlan. C. beecheit 
(Pica beecheii Vie., Zool. Jour. iv. 1828, 353) is a larger and still finer species, of similar coloration, but with 
the blue of a rich smalt shade; it lacks the frontal crest and has the nostrils completely covered, and may pos- 
sibly require generic or subgeneric separation from Cissolopha ; length about 15.00-19.00, wing 7.00, tail 7.50- 
8.50. Hab. Western Mexico (vicinity of Mazatlan, and on Tres Marias). 
