CISSA OENATA. 
(THE CEYLONESE JAY.) 
(Peculiar to Ceylon.) 
Pica ornata, Wagler, Isis, 1829, p. 749. 
Cissa puella, Blyth, J. A. S. 1849, xviii. p. 810 ; id. Cat. B. Mus. A. S. B. p. 93 (ex Layard, 
MS.) ; Kelaart, Prodromus, Cat. p. 124 (1852) ; Layard, Ann, & Mag. Nat. Hist. 
1854, xiii. p. 213. 
Cissa pyrrhocyanea, Gould, B. of A.sia, pt. i. pi. 13 (1850, ex Licht. MS.). 
Kitta ornata. Bp. Consp. i. p. 166 (1850). 
Citta ornata, Licht. Nomencl. Av. p, 9. 
Cissa ornata, Blyth, Ibis, 1867, p. 298; Schlegel, Coraces, p. 69 ; Gray, Hand-1. B. ii. p. 7 
(1869); Holdsworth, P. Z, S. 1872, p. 461; Legge, Ibis, 1874, p. 23; Holdsworth, 
ibid. p. 124; Sharpe, Cat. B. iii. p. 87 (1877). 
The Mountain- Jay, Europeans in Ceylon ; also Blue Jay. 
Kahihella, Sinhalese. 
Ad. capite et collo undique castaneis : dorso laste ultramarino, uropygio cum dorso postico et sujiracaudalibus magis 
cyanescentibus : tectricibus alarum omnibus ultramarinis : primario primo uigro : remigibus reliquis extus 
castaneis, intus nigris : caudft cyanea, rectricibus late albo terminatis, fascia subtemiiiiali nigra transversim 
notatis : subalaribus ultramarinis, interioribus cineraceis : remigibus iufrii nigris, extus castaneis, intiis versus 
basin rufescentibus : palpebra et iride sanguineis : rostro rubro : pedibus corallinis. 
Adidt male and female. Length 18'0 to 18'5 inches; wing 6'5 to 6'7 ; tail 10’25 to lOw, outer feathers 6-5 shorter 
than central; tarsus 1‘6 to 1’8 ; mid toe and claw I'O ; bill to gape 1'5 to 1’6. Expanse 20‘5. 
Iris light brown ; eyelid deep red, orbital shin somewhat paler ; bill, legs, and feet coral-red ; claws reddish yellow at 
base, dusky at tip. 
Whole head, neck, and chest deep shining chestnut ; interscapulary region, lesser wing-coverts, and beneatli the hue 
of the chest cobalt-blue, paliug into light easrulean blue on the lower back, rump, and uuderparts ; greater wing- 
coverts duller blue than the lesser ; quills light chestnut on their outer webs, and dull black on the inner, those 
of the tertials overcast with blue, basal inner edges of quills rufescent grey ; tail gi-eenish blue, the edges brightest 
and the terminal inch white with a dividing black band chiefly developed on the inner web, the four lateral pairs 
of feathers with the white running up the outer edge ; thighs dusky cobalt-blue. 
Young. Tail in nestling plumage about (i inches in length ; feathers pointed. Iris brown, with the outer edge 
pale, orbital skin brown ; bill dusky orange with a pale tip ; legs and feet dusky red. 
Head, hind neck, throat, and chest pale chestnut : back and upper breast bluish green, becoming dusky on the lower 
breast, with the belly albescent ; lesser wing-coverts as the back ; the greater coverts and quills as in the adult. 
At a further stage the chestnut of the head and throat becomes darker, and the back and breast more blue, but 
not nearly so pure as in the second year or fully adult dress. 
Distribution. — The Ceylon Jay inhabits the mountains of the Central Province, including the detached 
Muneragala range beyond the south-eastern slopes of Madulsima, and all the peak forests which descend into 
the Western Province and form the northern slopes of Salfragam. Beyond this district, to the south and 
west respectively, it is found in the jungles of the Rakwana district, the Morowak and Kukkul Korales, 
and the immense forests covering the low ranges between the Singha-Rajab jungle and the Kaluganga. This 
latter district comprises the lower part of the Kukkul Korale and the Pasdun Korale, and the highest parts 
do not exceed 1700 feet. I found it in the valleys of this Avild and little-known I’cgion during the rainy month 
of August at an elevation considerably under 1000 feet, w'hich leaves no doubt that it is a resident there. 
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