Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/90

58 This Magpie has the central tail-feathers narrower than in C. varians and more abruptly spatulate at their ends.

Distribution. Central and South Burma, Siam and N. Malay Peninsula. Harington obtained it as far North as Monywa and Pyminana on the Chindwin, and it extends East into West Central Siam. Wickham obtained it as far North as the foot of Mt. Victoria in the Chin Hills.

Nidification. Similar to that of C. varians, though the nests appear to be smaller and neater. The eggs are small replicas of those of that bird and measure 23·0 × 18·0 mm. Harington obtained its eggs in May.

Habits. Differ in no way from those of the Black Racket-tailed Magpie, but it seems to keep more exclusively to bamboo-jungle and scrub. It is a bird of the dry zone, and will not be found in those parts of Burma where the rainfall is very heavy.

 

The genus Platysmurus contains two species, one of which is resident in Tenasserim whilst the other inhabits Borneo. In many ways this genus connects the typical Magpies and the typical Jays.

The bill is very much curved and shorter than the head and the bristles covering the nostrils are numerous and stiff but short. The feathers of the crown of the head are very harsh. The tail is of no great length but well graduated. The sexes are alike and the young resemble the adults.


 * Glaucopis leucopterus Temm., Pl. Col., No. 265 (1824) (Sumatra).
 * Platismurus leucopterus. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 37.

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. The whole plumage black; the terminal halves of the larger upper wing-coverts and a large patch on the exterior webs of some of the outer secondaries white; the forehead crested and the feathers stiff.

In some specimens the smaller wing-coverts are narrowly margined with white, and this probably means immaturity.

Colours of soft parts. Bill, legs, feet and claws black; irides lake-red to crimson. (Davison.)

Measurements. Length about 400 to 410 mm.; wing about 190 to 200 mm.; tail about 200 to 220 mm.; tarsus 35 to 38 mm; culmen about 35 mm.