1846.] or Little Known Species of Birds. 25 



Rook, occur in Japan* ; but Mr. Gould has distinguished the so called 

 " Rook" of Chusan by the name C. pastinator (P. Z. S. 1845, p. 1) ; 

 and another species inhabiting China and Chinese Tartary, is the C. 

 dauricus, Pallas, which should be looked for by our trans- Himalayan 

 travellers. Mr. Gould has also recently distinguished the common Aus- 

 tralian black Crow by the name C. coronoides. 



The Red-legged Chough (Fregilus graculus,) and Alpine Chocard 

 {Pyrrhocorax alpinus,) are both well known tenants of the bare Hima- 

 layan crags, and appear to be identical in species with their European 

 brethren. Captain Hutton mentions the former as a winter visitant in 

 Afghanistan ; and also that the Raven (Corvus cor ax,) and the Rook 

 (C.frugilegus,) occur in that country, the former in summer, the latter 

 in winter. f 



Of the Nutcrackers (Nucifraga,) but three species have been ascer- 

 tained ; N. hemispila of the Himalaya, N. caryocatactes of Europe, 

 and N. columbianus of North America (the Corvus columbianus, Wilson, 

 first properly classified by the Prince of Canino). These birds are 

 peculiar to the pine-forests, and the Himalayan species appears to be 

 particularly abundant. 



Magpies. Pica, Ray. The only species of true black and white 

 Magpie proper to Indian Zoology, is the P. bottanensis, Ad. Deless., v. 

 megaloptera, nobis, /. A. S., XI, 193. It is remarkable for its great 

 size, very large wings, and tail of moderate length. Inhabits the more 

 eastern Himalaya. 



The other species of this genus, which I at present know of, are as 

 follow : — 



2. P. media, nobis, J. A. S., XIII, 393. The next in point of size. 

 From the Chilian Andes. 



3. P. caudata, Ray. The common European Magpie. This appears 



* Some of the Japanese birds referred by M. Temminck to European species, are 

 certainly quite distinct ; e. g., the Jay, which differs from Garrulus glandarius in 

 having the space between the eye and moustache filled up with black (I think the 

 same as in the Syrian Jay, G. atricapillus, Geoff., which has additionally a black cap) ; 

 also the Japanese Robin, which has a rufous tail ; and the Bullfinch, of which the male 

 has a pale abdomen and lower breast, and both sexes are without the red mark on the 

 outer margin of the smallest tertiary, which is constant in the European species, and 

 in P. nipalensis becomes deep shining crimson ; the female is also of a different shade 

 of colour from that of its European congener. 



t Calcutta Journ. Nat. Hist. 1, 558. 



E 



