232 OMNIVOROUS BIRDS. 



and tail, bright azure. Front and line over the eyes bluish white. 

 Back yellowish brown, with some blue on the rump ; upper tail-cov- 

 erts azure. Inner vanes and tips of the quills dusky. Below pale 

 yellowish grey. From the cheeks and sides of the neck, the blue 

 passes down along the breast, and forms a sort of collar. The wings 

 scarcely extend beyond the coverts of the tail, which is partly wedge- 

 shaped and about 5^ inches long. The 1st primary as short as the 

 secondaries, the 3d and 4th rather the longest. Feet and bill black. 

 Iris hazel brown. — Female perfectly similar with the male, but a 

 little less. — This species is nearly allied to the Mexican Garrulus 

 ultramarinus of Bonaparte. 



CANADA JAY. 



(Corviis canadensis, Lin. Wilson, iii. p. 33. pi. 21. fig. 1.) 



Sp. Char ACT. — Dark leaden grey ; hind-head black ; forehead, col- 

 lar, beneath, and tip of the tail brownish-white j tail wedge- 

 shaped. 



This species, with the intrusive habits and plain 

 plumage of the Pie, is wholly confined to the high north- 

 ern regions of America, being met with around Hudson's 

 bay, but becoming rare near the St. Lawrence, and in 

 winter only straggling along the coast as far as Nova 

 Scotia. Westward, occasionally driven by the severity 

 of the weather and failure of food, they make their ap- 

 pearance in small parties in the interior of Maine, and 

 northern parts of Vermont ; they also descend into the 

 state of New York as far as the town of Hudson, and 

 the banks of the Mohawk. It was likewise seen the 

 12th of September by Major Long's exploring party in 

 latitude 49, in the northwestern interior. 



According to Mr. Hutchins, like the Pie, when near the 

 habitations and tents of the inhabitants and natives, it is 

 given to pilfering every thing within reach, and is some- 

 times so bold as to venture into the tents, and snatch the 



