2.88 Alfred Ezra—The Formosan Blue Magpie



Another delightful house bird is a Troupialhe flies about every¬

where and goes off into the garden, returning to his cage when he

wishes. When I go into the park to catch grasshoppers he will always

come with me, although I do not catch them for him but the other

birds ; all the same he thoroughly enjoys it, and helps himself very

freely to them.


I fear these few notes are not very encouraging to aviculturists.

All the same, I think if one has an achievement it pays well for all

the disappointments.



THE FORMOSAN BLUE MAGPIE


(Urocissa caerulea)


The fine Magpies of the genus Urocissa are found in the mountainous

regions of Northern India, Burma, China, and Indo-China, and are

represented in Formosa by the largest and most handsome species.

While all the continental forms have brown eyes and white under

parts, the Formosan Blue Magpie has pale yellow irides and a blue

belly, which are a decided improvement on the general pattern of

colours of these lovely birds. Perhaps, however, its tail is not quite

so long and so gracefully curved and wavy as that of its smaller

relatives. Like all the Urocissa the Formosan Blue Magpies live in

woods and in open country 'well intermixed wdth trees and bushes,

where they go in small parties, hunting for large insects, small verte¬

brates, and fruit on which they feed. They are numerous in camphor

forests on the mountains, flying from tree to tree. They are shy and

difficult to approach. A few specimens of these fine birds have been

imported alive into Japan from time to time, but none, so far, had

reached Europe. Owing to the kindness of Prince Taka-Tsukasa,

a pair at last arrived in England last January, and I am most grateful

to him for this handsome present.



Alfred Ezra.



