DETAILED LIST OF BIRDS. 
241 
Sanju, where the road emerges from the hills into the plains 
of Yarkand, both in going and returning — viz.^ on the 16th 
August, and the 12th September. No Magpie was seen else- 
where in Yarkand. Early in July, when the expedition 
passed through Ladak, the young birds were just able to fly 
and several were caught. In Ladak this species appears to 
bear the title of Hashambri. [G. H,^ 
Schlegel (Mus. Pays Bas, Q'^^Liv. Coraces. p. 39) maintains, 
that this species, Pica bactriana, as also Pica bottanensis, 
Delessert, and other eastern species, are inseparable from the 
European Magpie [Pica caudata, Ray, Pica varia^ Gessner) . 
As to the distinctness of Pica bactrianaj I am by no means 
certain; I require a larger series of European birds for com- 
parison, but as to P. bottanensis (which, I believe, is the 
correct name), there can I think be no mistake, the pure 
black rump forming a constant distinguishing feature, — I 
doubt whether Schlegel really knows the birds which we 
identify as P. bottanensis. His supposed specimen was ob- 
tained by Major Hay, in Tibet, and unless I am mistaken, 
true P. bottanensis does not occur at all in the country 
traversed by Hay. Dr. Jerdon probably led Schlegel wrong, 
by saying " Adams states that this bird (P. bottanensis) in- 
habits the wildest parts of Ladakh,^' while as matter of fact 
only P. bactriana ever occurs in Ladak, P. bottanensis is 
never seen there, and Adams was perfectly correct in believ- 
ing that the bird he got in Ladak, was identical with P. 
bactriana. 
If Schlegel is not under a mistake as to the identity of 
P. bottanensis, how is it that he admits P. mauritana? Both 
species are equally distinct from the common European form. 
Of the European bird, Schlegel gives the tail as measuring 
tips of all but the first three primaries are a metallic bluish green. The 
outer webs of the first three primaries are dusky or black, more or less 
glossed with the same colour as their neighbours. The inner webs of the 
secondaries and tertiaries, except quite the hindermost of the latter, are 
black. The outer webs of secondaries and tertiaries, and the inner webs 
of the hindermost of the latter are metallic blue, more or less glossed with 
green, all the earlier secondaries with a conspicuous stripe of golden green 
just inside their margins for the basal two-thirds of their length. 
\_A. 0. S.] 
R 
