441 
Birds of the Zarafschan Basin. 
2. CoRVUS FRUGILEGUS. 
Trypanocorax frugilegus Sharpe, Cat. B. iii. p. 9. 
3 . Samarkand. 6 Nov., 1907. No. 159. 
? . „ 29 Oct., 1907. No. 142. 
A common resident in the cultivated districts, which breeds 
at 600 ft. above the sea-level in the groves of birch-trees, the 
nests being sometimes placed only 20 ft. from the ground. 
3. CoRVUS COLLARIS. 
Corvus collaris Sharpe, Cat. B. iii. p. 27. 
<?. 
Samarkand. 
10 Sept., 1907. 
No. 24. 
C?. 
?? 
25 April, 1908. 
No. 382. 
?. 
99 
22 Dec., 1907. 
No. 250. 
An 
exceedingly common resident. 
My specimens evi 
dentlv belong to the white-collared race of C. monedula , but 
the intensity of the white on the collar is very variable. 
4. Pica leucoptera. 
Pica leucoptera Sharpe, Cat. B. iii. p. 66. 
<f.‘ 
Samarkand. 
11 Oct., 1907. 
No. 63. 
? • 
)) 9> 
No. 62. 
$ • 
99 
7 Oct., 1907. 
No. 57. 
This is one of the commonest and most conspicuous birds 
in Turkestan. All over the cultivated districts, from 300 ft. 
up to 3000 ft., it is very numerous; at a higher altitude it 
becomes scarce. But I have seen it right up to the snow¬ 
line at 10,000 ft. in June, and it has been recorded on 
the Pamirs by Severtzoff. In habits it is very different 
from the European Magpie, the Turkestan bird being very 
tame and confiding, and always to be seen amongst the 
native houses and even in the bazaars of the towns. 
They breed early; the young being fully fledged on the 
30th May. 
The amount of white on the wings, by which this bird is 
distinguished from P. rustica , is very variable. No. 57 
has much white, there not being more than 0*2 in. of 
black at the tips of the quills, while Nos. 62 and 63 have 
as much as 0*5 in. and 0*6 in. of black at the tips, with a 
correspondingly less amount of white. 
