130 NEW-YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



THE CANADA JAY. 



Garrtjlus canadensis. 



PLATE XXV. FIG. 55 (Young). 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Corvus canadensis. LiNNiEUS. 



Cinereous Crow. Pennant, Arct. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 248. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 3, p. 33, pi. 21, fig. 1. Bona- 

 parte, Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol.2, p. 58. Audubon, fol. pi. 107. Nuttall, Man. Orn. 

 Vol. 1, p. 232. 

 Whiskey Jack. Richardson, F. B A. Vol. 2, p. 295. 



G. brachyrhynchus. Id. p. 296, pi. 55 (young). Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 4, p. 121, pi. 234. Perisoreus, Bona- 

 parte, Geog. and Comp. List, p. 26. 



Characteristics. Back leaden grey ; hind head black ; forehead, collar and tip of the tail 

 dusky white. Plumage loose. Length, ten to eleven inches. 



Description. Bill short and robust : upper mandible curved and notched at the tip ; lower 

 mandible shorter, nearly straight, and slightly emarginate near the tip. Feathers at the base 

 of the bill porrect, rigid, concealing the nostrils. The color is subject to many variations, 

 but the usual appearance in this State is as follows : Summit of the head and nape black, 

 forming a sort of hood. Frontlet and collar dingy white. Breast and belly light plumbeous 

 brown, with a faint reddish tinge. Back deep plumbeous. Primaries and tail tipped with 

 dingy white. In the young, the uniform color, except the end of the tail-feathers, is a deep 

 dingy brown ; in the adult, the under parts are drab. 



Length, 10-0-11-0. Alar spread, 15-0-15-5. 



This may be considered as a rare bird in this State, except in the northern districts, where 

 it undoubtedly breeds. I saw them at the sources of the Saranac, in June, where they ap- 

 peared to be numerous. The eggs are light grey, faintly streaked with brown. It has occa- 

 sionally been driven by the severity of winter, or scarcity of food, as low down as the neigh- 

 borhood of New-York. Its food consists of berries, caterpillars, eggs of other birds, and 

 even carrion, from whence it derives one of its popular names of Carrion-bird. Its present 

 ascertained range westwardly is across the continent to the Pacific ocean, and along the Atlantic 

 from Philadelphia to the 6Sth parallel. 



(EXTRALIMITAL.) 



G. stclhri. (Aud. Vol. 4, pi. 230.) Crested. Blue: head and neck blackish ; feathers on the fore- 

 head tipped with blue ; secondaries and tail-feathers slightly barred with black. Tail long, rounded. 

 Length, 12- 14 inches. Mexico, Northwest Coast. 



G. floridanus. (Aud. Vol.4, pi. 233 ) Not crested. Back light yellowish brown. Head, wings 

 and tail bright azure blue j beneath greyish. Tail wedge-shaped. Length, 1 1 - 12 inches. Florida, 

 Western States, 



