The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma/Birds/Order Passeres/Family Corvidæ/Genus Crypsirhina

by Edward Charles Stuart Baker

 

Genus CRYPSIRHINA Vieill., 1816.

With this genus we come to the end of the true Magpies or Long-tailed Crows. The members of the present genus are small and are characterized by a tail of peculiar structure, the central pair of feathers being spatulate at the ends. The bill is small and the nostrils are concealed by a mass of fine velvety plumes, which also surround the base of the bill.

The Racket-tailed Magpies are quite arboreal and in the course of many years' observation Oates never saw one of them on the ground.

Key to Species.

A.

All tail-feathers black ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

C. varians, p. 56.

B.

Central tail-feathers black, outer feathers grey ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

C.cucullata, p. 57.

Fig. 13.—Head of C. varians.

(36) Crypsirhina varians.

The Black Racket-tailed Magpie.

Corvus varians Lath. Ind. Orn. Suppl., xxvi, (1801) (Java); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 35.

Vernacular names. Ami-whine (Burmese).

Description. The whole plumage metallic bronze-green, tinged with bluish on the head; wings brown, the outer webs of the primaries greenish, the other quills more or less entirely tinged with greenish; tail black, with the same tinge but with more sheen; forehead, round the eye and about the gape dull black, the feathers of a velvety texture.

Colours of soft parts. Iris blue; bill black, mouth flesh-colour; legs and claws black.

Measurements. Length about 310 to 330 mm.; wing about 110 to 116 mm.; tail from about 175 to 200 mm.; tarsus about 30 mm.; culmen about 23 mm.

Distribution. This fine little Magpie has its headquarters in Pegu, extending up the valleys of the Irrawaddy and Sittaung to some way north of Thayetmyo and Toungoo. To the west it extends to Bassein, south to Mergui and into Sumatra, Borneo and Java. To the east it extends to Siam, where it is very common in the south, and to Cochin China.

Nidification. The breeding season lasts from April, in which month Hopwood took eggs in Tavoy, through May and June to July, in which latter month Nurse took eggs in Pegu and Herbert found them breeding in Siam. The nest is a typical Magpie's nest, though without a dome. It is a shallow cup of fine twigs, roots and tendrils with a diameter of about 5″ to 6″ by 1″ deep internally and some 9″ in external diameter. It is generally placed in a thorny bush or tree 8 to 12 feet from the ground.

The eggs are two to four in number, typically Corvine in appearance, and average 24·8 × 18·3 mm.

Habits. The Racket-tailed Magpies are birds of comparatively open forest and light bush, tree, or bamboo-jungle. They eat both fruit and insects, and may be seen clinging to the outer branches of trees as they search the leaves and flowers for the latter. They are not gregarious, though sometimes two or three may be seen in company; their usual note is a not unpleasant metallic call, and they do not appear to possess the harsh notes so common to this group.

(37) Crypsirhina cucullata.

The Hooded Racket-tailed Magpie.

Crypsirhina cucullata Jerdon, Ibis, 1862, p. 20 (Thayetmyo); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 35.

Vernacular name. Ami-whine (Burmese).

Description. Whole head, chin and throat black; round the neck, next to the black, a ring of ashy white; the whole upper plumage, wing-coverts and inner secondaries vinaceous grey; lower plumage the same but rather more rufous; central tail-feathers black, the others the same colour as the back; primaries and their coverts black; outer secondaries black with ashy-white edges.

Colours of soft parts. Iris blue; eyelids plumbeous; bill black; legs and claws dark brown; inside of the mouth flesh-colour.

Measurements. Total length 300 to 315 mm.; tail 180 to 200 mm.; wing 102 to 108mm.; tarsus about 26 to 27 mm.; culmen about 20 mm.

The young have the head brown; the central tail-feathers and wings are blackish brown and the general colour of the body plumage is less ashy and more vinaceous; the bill is black, with an orange gape and inside to the mouth; the eyelids are pale blue with orange edges.

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.