142 AZURE-WINGED MAGPIE. 
The nests are of three principal forms. First, hori- 
zontal cup-like nest, not domed. Second, the same 
shape, but with one side raised. Third, an irregular 
spherical nest, with a dome more or less thick, and a 
lateral opening. Of fourteen nests, nine had the first 
form, three the second, and two the third. All the 
nests were upon large trees—poplar, oak, beech, ches- 
nut, and walnut. ‘Those with a raised side were fixed 
in forked branches, and on the side which had most 
support, the screen or covering was placed. One nest 
only, which was in the broken branch of an Italian 
poplar, had this covering without any support, but it 
was not so high as usual. The screen had always a 
reference to the prevailing wind. The two nests pro- 
tected by a dome differed from each other; in one the 
covering was almost transparent, whilst in the other it 
was thick so as to keep out rain. One of these last 
had a transverse diameter of twenty-two centimetres, 
(eight imches and four-fifths,) and the opening seven 
centimetres high. 
These nests were formed outside of little sticks and 
thorny branches. In the framework of the largest was 
the branch of a plum tree as thick as one’s finger, and 
forty centimetres (sixteen inches) long. In four nests 
the materials were united by clay mortar. All were 
lined with flexible roots, stalks of grasses, wool, and 
feathers.” 
Of one hundred and eighty-seven eggs examined by 
M. Moquin-Tandon, one hundred and eleven had the 
ordinary size, (thirty to thirty-two millemetres by twenty 
to twenty-five;) sixty-six were a fifth or sixth less; one 
only a third less; one without yolk; five increased in 
length both ends alike; four obtuse and much shorter. 
These one hundred and eighty-seven eggs differed in 
ak aninteaioa 
