286 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



EiAM, North Am. Fauna, no. 16, 1899, 121 (Shasta Valley, etc., n. Cali- 

 fornia, Sept. 28).— Bates, Proc. Nebr. Orn. Un., sec. ann. meeting, 1901, 74 

 (Long Pine and Kennedy, n. w. Nebraska, Sept. to Nov.; numerous).— 

 Gary, Auk, xviii, 1901, 235 (Black Hills, Wyoming, breeding; habits).— 

 Obbkholser, Auk, xix, 1902, 300 (Guadalupe Mts., w. Texas) .—Johnson 

 (H. 0.), Condor, iv, 1902, 14 (American Fork, Utah; habits).— Bailey 

 (Florence M.), Handb. Birds W. U. S., 1902, 284. 



Clyanocephalus] cyanocephalm Riogw ay, Man. N. Am. Birds, 1887, 364. 



Cyanocephalus wiedi Bonaparte, Obs. Stat. Zool. Eur. Vertebr., 1840-41 (1842) 

 (SeeSalvin, Ibis, 1873, 103). 



Cyanocorax cassini McCall, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., v, June, 1851, 216 (Santa 

 F6, New Mexico). 



Cyanocorax cassinii Baird, Stansbury's Eep. Gt. Salt Lake, 1852, 332 (Santa F6). 



Genus PICA Brisson. 



Pica Brisson, Orn., ii, 1760, 35. (Type, Corvus pica Linnaeus.) 

 Cleptesa Gameel, Journ. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 2d ser., i, Dec. 1847, 46. (Type, 

 Corvus liudsonius Sabine. ) 



Largje long-tailed Garrulinse with tenth (outermost) primary falcate, 

 the head without any crest, and the plumage black and white in large, 

 conspicuously contrasted areas.* 



Tail very long, forming much more than half the total length, 

 excessively graduated (lateral rectrices but little if anj'^ more than half 

 as long as middle pair), outermost primary narrow, falcate, about half 

 as long as ninth primary; bill rather stout (depth at nostrils more than 

 half the distance from nostrils to tip of maxilla), its width at base of 

 nasal plumes a little greater than its depth at the same point; nasal 

 plumes well developed, covering nearly basal half of maxilla; tarsus 

 slender, about twice as long as distance from nostril to tip of maxilla; 

 middle toe (without claw) a little more than half as long as tarsus. 



Coloration. — Wings metallic greenish blue, varied with greenish 

 or violet (sometimes both), the inner webs of primaries chiefly white; 

 tail rich metallic green varied with bronze, purple, and violet near end; 

 scapulars, belly, sides, and flanks, pure white; other parts blackish. 



Nid.ification. — Nest in trees; nest proper more or less completely 

 inclosed within an open " lattice-work " of large dead twigs. Eggs 

 7-10, dull grayish white or pale grayish (sometimes slightly greenish), 

 densely speckled with grayish brown or olive. 



Range. — Palsearctic Region and western portion of Nearctic Region. 



The genus Pica is most nearly related to the Palsearctic genus Cyano- 

 polius Bonaparte, '^ but diflfers conspicuously in the falcate first pri- 



a " KXticrrii, a thief." 



s Whence the term "pied." 



" Oyanopolius Bonaparte, Rep. Brit. Assoc. Adv. Sci., 1849, 75. (Type, C. cooki 

 Bonaparte. ) — Cyanopica Bonaparte, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. , 1850, 86. (Type, C. vaillanii 

 Bonaparte, = Corfus cyanus Pallas.) — DolometisCsbama, Mus. Hein., i, Oct., 1851, 222. 

 (Type, Corvus cyanus VaXlas.) 



