598 APPENDIX. 



CANADA JAY, or WHISKEY-JACK. 



(Corvus canadensis, Bonap. Nutt. Man. Orn. i. p. 232. Garrulus 

 canadensis, Rich, and Swains. North. Zool. ii. p. 295. Quaqua- 

 sheio, of the Algonquins, and W/iiskcB-shawneesh, of the Crees.) 



Sp. Charact. — Brownish-grey ; below yellowish-grey ; hind head 

 and nape black; front^ throat, and sides of the neck white. 



This inelegant but familiar bird, inhabits all the woody 

 districts of the remote fur countries from the 65th parallel to 

 Canada, and now and then in severe winters extends its de- 

 sultory migrations within the northern limits of the United 

 States. Scarcely has the winter traveller in those cold re- 

 gions chosen a suitable place of repose in the forest, cleared 

 away the snow, lighted his fire, and prepared his tent, when 

 tlie Whiskey-Jack insidiously pays him a visit, and boldly 

 descends into the social circle to pick up any crumbs of 

 frozen fish, or morsels of dry meat that may have escaped 

 the mouths of the weary and hungry sledge-dogs. This 

 confidence is almost the only recommendation of our familiar 

 intruder. There is nothing pleasing in his voice, plumage, 

 or attitudes. But this dark sinister dwarf of the north is 

 now the only inhabitant of those silent and trackless forests, 

 and trusting from necessity in the forbearance of man, 

 he fearlessly approaches, and craves his allowed pittance 

 from the wandering stranger who visits his dreary domain. 

 At the fur posts and fishing stations he is also a steady at- 

 tendant, becoming so tamed in the winter by the terrible 

 inclemency of the climate as to eat tamely from the offered 

 hand ; yet, at the same time, wild and indomitable under 

 this garb of humility, he seldom survives long in confine- 

 ment, and pines away with the loss of his accustomed lib- 

 erty. It hops with activity from branch to branch, but 

 when at rest, sits with its head drawn in, and with its plu- 

 mage loose. The voice of this inelegant bird is plaintive 



