[   87  ] 
X.  On  a  new  Genus  in  the  Family  of  Corvidse.    By  Mr.  John  Gould,  F.L.S.  Commu- 
nicated by  the  Secretary. 
Read  May  14,  1833. 
In  bringing  before  the  notice  of  the  Society  three  species  of  a  natural  group  of  birds 
forming  part  of  the  Family  of  Corvidce,  one  of  which  I  have  reason  to  believe  is  new 
to  science,  I  am  actuated  by  two  motives :  the  first  is  a  wish  to  establish  the  right  of 
the  present  group  to  rank  as  a  distinct  genus,  separate  from  that  of  Pica,  to  which 
it  has  hitherto  been  assigned  ;  and  the  second  to  delineate  the  characters  of  a  species 
which  appears  to  have  been  until  now  unobserved. 
The  examples  of  the  present  group,  although  bearing  a  great  similarity  to  the  genus 
Pica,  may  be  easily  discriminated  by  an  attentive  observer  of  the  forms  of  Ornithology, 
as  possessing  in  common  certain  distinct  characteristics,  harmonizing  with  their  habits 
and  manners,  as  detailed  by  observers  in  their  native  country,  and  which  analogy  would 
lead  us  to  anticipate. 
Although  the  true  Pies  are  classed  among  birds  inhabiting  trees,  still  their  lengthened 
and  strong  tarsi  and  powerful  pointed  bills  endow  them  with  powers  for  gaining  their 
subsistence  almost  exclusively  on  the  ground ;  their  food,  in  fact,  consists  of  such  sub- 
stances as  are  only  to  be  acquired  there,  such  as  grubs,  worms,  snails,  and  occasionally 
putrid  animal  matter.  On  the  other  hand,  the  birds  of  the  group  under  consideration 
possess  characters  of  an  almost  opposite  description,  indicating  their  habitat  to  be  more 
exclusively  the  branches  of  trees  :  the  tarsi  are  short  and  comparatively  feeble  ;  the  tail 
is  more  elongated  than  in  the  typical  species  of  the  genus  Pica  (the  Common  Magpie, 
for  example),  and  its  feathers  are  considerably  more  spatulate,  and  equally  graduated, 
excepting  the  two  middle  ones,  which  exceed  the  others  nearly  as  much  again  as  their 
due  distance.  To  this  may  be  added,  that  the  beak  is  also  of  a  very  different  con- 
struction, being  much  broader  at  the  base,  shorter,  and  of  an  incurved  form,  and  ex- 
cellently adapted  for  taking  fruits  and  berries,  but  not  for  digging  in  the  ground  in 
search  of  larvee  :  the  nostrils  are  only  partially  covered  with  hair-like  feathers. 
On  account  of  the  arboreal  habits  of  the  birds  composing  the  group  which  is  thus 
distinguished,  T  propose  for  them  the  generic  appellation  of  Dendrocitta. 
Respecting  the  most  common  species  of  this  genus,  the  Pica  vagabunda  of  authors,  it 
may  be  observed,  that  this  name  has  been  given  to  it  from  its  restless  and  wandering 
