A. Ezra—Breeding Particulars of the Yellow-hilled Magpie 257


the Talpacoti, and the “ Black-winged Andean Dove ” is, I presume,

Metriopelia melanoptera, also known as the “ Cordillera Dove


Talpacoti and Pigmy Doves have often been bred, but I know no¬

record of either of these crosses, nor of the true-breeding of Metriopelia

Does any reader ?


E. IE



BREEDING PARTICULARS OF THE

YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE


(Pica nuttalli)


By A. Ezra


The Yellow-billed Magpie of California is a peculiar bird. Ik

resembles all other Magpies, except for its bright light yellow bill,

also the eyelids and a patch behind the eye are yellow. It is smaller

than the English bird. Its distribution is a very restricted one, being,

found only in certain parts of the Sacramento and San Joaquim Valleys

in California, where green oaks grow. In these few spots, the bird is

quite common, and behaves just like our Magpies, being often seen,

near farms and houses. On account of its extraordinary localization,,

the species is awarded full protection. Like most North American

birds, it cannot be exported without special permission, and the five

specimens that Mr. Delacour brought over last February were the

first to reach Europe alive.


Mr. Delacour gave me a pair of these attractive birds, which he

had brought over from California. With luck they turned out to be a

pair, and I put them into one of my small aviaries, which they had to

themselves. A nest was built in a basket in the sleeping quarters of

the aviary. The basket was hung 9 feet from the floor, and the nest

was made of mud and dried grass. The basket was first lined with

mud, and this was covered with dry grass, so thinly that patches of the

mud could be seen through the grass. The first egg was laid on 18th

May. Seven eggs were laid in all by the 24th May. Colour of eggs



