CROWS, JAYS, MAGPIES, ETC. 279 



was remarkably like the chirp of a robin. Another of the common- 

 est was a weak and rather complaining cry repeated several times. 

 A sharply contrasting one was a pure, clear whistle of one note fol- 

 lowed by a three-syllabled call something like ka-ire -ah. The regular 

 rallying cry was still different, a loud and striking two-syllabled Avj- 

 wliee. 



At the Inn the birds spent a large part of their time storing food. 

 Observers w r ho are in the woods in winter should try to rind if such 

 stores are utilized. 



P. O. griseus Ridgic. GRAY JAY. 



Similar to the Oregon jay. but decidedly larger except for feet, and 

 much grayer ; back dark gray instead of brown, and under parts grayish 

 white instead of brownish white. 



.Distribution. --From British Columbia south to northern California east 

 of the Coast and Cascade ranges. 



GENUS CORVUS. 



General Characters. Wing 9 or 

 more ; long and pointed ; tail mucl 

 shorter than wing ; bill compressed, 

 much higher than broad ; nasal bris- 

 tles about half as long as bill ; feet 

 stout. Fig. 348. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



1. Feathers of neck gray or white at base. 



2. Feathers of neck pure white at base . . . cryptoleucus, p. 280. 

 2'. Feathers of neck dull gray at base. 



o. Bill larger, tarsus stouter. Washington . . principalis, p". 280. 



o'. Bill smaller, tarsus more slender siliuatus, p. 279. 



1'. Feathers of neck not gray or white at base. 



2. Wing 10.05. Sitka to Oregon caurinus, p. 282. 



2'. Wing 12.15 aniericanus, p. 281. 



486. Corvus corax sinuatus (WagL). AMERICAN RAVEN. 



Black, entire plumage glossed with lustrous purplish, tinged with dull 

 greenish on belly; feathers of throat lanceolate, distinct from one another; 

 feathers of neck dull gray at base; nasal tufts covering more than basal 

 half of upper mandible. Length : 21.50-26.00, wing 15.10-18.00, tail 9-11, 

 exposed culmen 2.40-0.05. 



Distribution. - - Resident from upper border of arid Tropical to Alpine 

 zone in the western United States from the Rocky Mountains to the 

 Pacific coast, and from Canada to Guatemala. 



Xrst. Usually on cliffs, a mass of well-interlaced sticks lined with 

 cottonwood bark. moss, cattle hair, and wool. Eggs : 5 to 7, pea green, 

 olive, or drab, usually profusely spotted and blotched with shades of 

 brown, lavender, and drab. 



Fond. Principally carrion, dead fish and frogs, varied with rodents, 

 mussels, grasshoppers, large black crickets, and worms. 



Where tall, bare cliffs rise from the valleys and deep, steep-walled 

 canyons cut into the mountain ranges, the honrse croaking of the 



