118 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



give as unbiased testimony as possible with reference to their food- 

 habits at least, and let the reader judge for himself as to what would 

 be the proper treatment for these birds. 



Taking the family as a whole, it is made up of birds like the crows, 

 ravens, magpies, jays, nut-crackers, camp-robbers, etc., many of which 

 have unenviable reputations at least if they are not really as bad as 

 we are sometimes requested to believe they are. 



The crows, ravens, magpies, and immediate relatives are what might 

 be termed "omnivorous" in food-habit — eating everything that comes 

 their way. The crows, however, have been shown to feed largely upon 

 insects, which in a great measure, at least, offsets the harm done in 

 other directions. They also feed upon various substances, the re- 

 moval of which is for the general good. 



The Raven is too rare a bird in this state to be taken into considera- 

 tion in respect to food-habit, and the Magpie certainly can be put out 

 of the question of d.oing any possible harm for the same reason. This 

 leaves then to be considered, the jays, of which we seem to have six 

 or seven distinct kinds; but only two of these are at all common. The 

 Blue Jay is found over the entire state, and is familiar to everybody. 

 The second species is found only in the western and northwestern por- 

 tions among the pine forests, and is known as the Piiion Jay or Camp 

 Robber — the latter name not very flatteriiig to the bird I must confess. 



For a more explicit account of each the reader is referred to the dif- 

 ferent species recorded below. 



475. Pica pica hudsonica (Sab.). — American Magpie. 



. West Point, Norfolk, Harrison — breeds latter locality (L. Bruner); "Occa- 

 sional in northern and more common in western Nebraska" (Aughey); "Fall 

 and winter visitant, somewhat rare" (Taylor); summer resident (L. E. Hicks); 

 "East to the edge of the plains" (Goss); Cherry county — breeds (J. M. Bates); 

 Cherry county, breeding (I. S. Trostler). 



477. Cyanocitta cristata {Linn.). — Blue Jay. 



Throughout state — breeds (L. Bruner); "Comparatively few in Nebraska" 

 (Aughey); "Resident, abundant'' (Taylor); "West to the Great Plains" 

 (Goss); Beatrice, De Witt (A. S. Pearse); Omaha — breeds (L. Skow); Cherry 

 county — breeds (J. M. Bates); Gage county — breeds (F. A. Colby); "a com- 

 mon resident, breeds May 1 to June 15 " (L S. Trostler). 



478c. Cyanocitta stelleri annectens [Baird). — Black-headed 

 Jay. 



Sioux county, April, 1891 (L. Bruner). 



