255 
FAMILY — CORVIDAE. JAYS AND CROWS 
The Crow family is very large and diverse, including many beautiful 
and highly coloured birds; indeed the famous Birds of Paradise are closely 
related to this family. The bill (Figures 251, 252) is the most easily 
distinguished character. It is moderately long and stout with a well- 
arched culmen. At the base are tufts of dense, stiff, bristle-like feathers 
pressed close to it and covering the nostrils. The Woodpeckers and the 
Titmice have a suggestion of these nostril tufts, but the latter are all very 
small birds and the former have a straight culmen and the bill chisel shaped 
at the tip {See Figure 241a). They are not songsters in the ordinary 
sense of the term; their voice is hoarse and raucous, but the complexity 
of their vocal organs is very great and some of them can be taught to 
articulate words. They are amongst our most intelligent species and by 
some authors have been put at the head of the whole avian list. 
Subfamily — Garrulinae. Magpies and Jays 
Medium-sized birds, many of them brilliantly coloured and with 
ornamental crests and flowing tails. They can be most easily recognized 
under their specific headings. 
475. Magpie (Including American Magpie). Pica pica. L, 15-20 (Tail 10). 
Plate XLIH A. A large appearing, very long-tailed bird, spectacularly coloured in black 
and white. 
Distinctions. With large size, long, sweeping tail, and intense black and white con- 
trasts, mistakable for no other Canadian bird. 
Field Marks. Showing distinctions as above. 
Nesting. An enormous mass of sticks in lower branches of trees or bushes, with nest 
in centre, entrance and exit in opposite sides. 
Distribution. Europe, northern Asia, and western North America. In America, west 
of the Great Lakes from middle Yukon to New Mexico. In Canada, common on the 
southern prairies, in the bluffy country adjacent, and in southern British Columbia, ex- 
cept the coast district. Occurs erratically north and eastward. Apparently extending 
its range in these directions. 
SUBSPECIES. The American Magpie Pica pica hudsonia differs from the Old 
World form only slightly in plumage characters, but very much in voice. 
One of the most spectacular, beautiful, and interesting of western 
birds, but a considerable pest for all that. It is more often seen retreating 
up the coulee, chattering as it glides from bush to bush, its broad showy 
colour surfaces in brilliant contrast with the dark green background. At 
other times, a small flock or family party will be seen passing noisily along 
the tops of the hills, from brush clump to brush clump. Again, they 
steal silently into camp or about the farm buildings intent on any mischief 
that may present itself, but flee away in consternation when disturbed, and 
talk the matter over in loud raucous voices in the nearest safe shrubbery. 
The Magpie cannot remain hidden or silent long, except when up to mis- 
chief. For purposes of brigandage and rapine they can contain them- 
selves admirably but just long enough to accomplish their schemes. In 
all, the Magpie is a bird amply able to take care of itself, and such a hand- 
some, knowing, and resourceful fellow, that he almost disarms justice. 
From all accounts, the Magpie is extending its range both northward in 
Alberta and eastward into Manitoba. Stray records of the species have 
been made east into Ontario, and north into the Mackenzie country. 
Wherever it goes, it is the same unscrupulous roysterer, perfectly confident 
