A SMASHED NURSERY. 129 



doubt about its being the nest of ' Clark's 

 Crow.' 



The nest was very large, and composed of fir- 

 twigs, bits of bark, the bracts or leaves of the 

 pine, and fine root-fibres ; some small pieces of 

 moss and grey lichen were mixed carelessly with 

 the other materials. The shape was difficult to 

 make out, as the crash of the falling tree had 

 damaged it considerably ; but I should say it was 

 shallow, round, and presenting a large extent of 

 surface beyond the margins of the hollow con- 

 taining the eggs. The remains of about four eggs 

 were, I should think, scattered round, the frag- 

 ments much like the eggs of Steller's Jay in 

 colour, but of a lighter shade of bluish -green. 

 From the fact of my never by any chance finding 

 a nest low down, I imagine their habit is always 

 to build in the very tallest pines. West of the 

 Cascades I believe it is unknown, that ridge of 

 mountains being its boundary northward. Its 

 size is about that of a pigeon; length 12 inches, 

 wing 7^, tail 4|, tarsus 1^. Colour, bluish-ash, 

 lighter on the forehead and round the eyes. 

 Wings nearly black, with a shade of green over- 

 spreading it. Secondaries and tertials (except 

 the innermost) tipped broadly with white; tail' 

 white, the inner webs of the fifth and the whole 



VOL. n. K 



