54 
INSESSORES. 
the difficulty of procuring food rendering these birds 
so hold, as to alight on our men’s arms, and eat meat 
out of their hands.’ ” * 
There are two species of Magpie found within the 
limits of the United States; the Common Magpie, 
which we have just described, and the Yellow-billed 
Magpie, both of which may be styled showy and or- 
namental birds. Their long, wedge-shaped tails, com- 
posed of beautifully colored feathers of brilliant blue 
and shining green, give them a peculiarly elegant and 
graceful appearance. The head, neck, back, and 
throat of the Common Magpie are black, the low r er 
parts, together with the scapulars, white, the tail, 
upper wing-coverts, and secondary quills of the wings, 
are rich green with purplish reflections. The Yellow- 
billed Magpie is very similar to the above in size and 
appearance, except that the bill is bright yellow, and 
the crown of the head is glossed with green. It is 
a resident of Upper California. 
The family of birds of which the Common Blue 
Jay is the principal representative in the United 
States, probably enjoys as wide-spread a reputation 
as any other division of our American Fauna. It is 
said that with the exception of Southern Africa, Aus- 
tralia, and the Pacific Islands, there is no country 
upon the globe where some of its representatives- are 
not found. But it is on the American Continent that 
it is most abundantly diffused, especially in Mexico 
and the countries lying adjacent to the Equator, wdiere 
there are many beautiful species, displaying a great 
* Wilson’s “American Ornithology.” 
s 
