152 KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



harsh and discordant. Nos. 1-4. (2) The Crows are large, 

 dark-colored (ours are black), walking birds, with long, pointed 

 wings, short, nearly square tails, and unmusical cawing voices. 

 As they can eat almost all vegetable and animal foods in 

 almost any condition, they can be found nearly everywhere at 

 all seasons. They usually associate together in large numbers. 

 Their nests are rude and bulky. Nos. 5-8. 



Key to the Speciss 



* Tail only ^ a-s long a.s the pointed wings ; plumage black. (B.) 



* Tail, 1-3 inches shorter than the wings ; plumage not black ; 



extreme western. (C.) 



* Tail, as long or longer than the rounded wings. ^ (A.) 



A. Tail, 2 or more inches longer than the wings ; no crest ; 



colors black and white ; wings over 7 long 



1. American Magpie. 



A. Head crested ; general color blue; tail tipped with white; a black 



breast patch 2. Blue Jay. 



A. No crest ; general colors blue and gray; tail without whito tip 



0. Florida Jay. 



A. No crest ; general color gray ; no blue or green in the pluiiiagi'. . . . 



4. Canada Jay. 



A. Slightly crested ; blue and black-headed, green-backed, yellow- 

 bellied bird. The Green Jay (-183. Xanthoiira luxuosa) of eastern 

 Mexico has been seen in southern Texas. 

 B. Wings, 15 or more long; culmen, 2J-31 long; neck feathers narrow 



and pointed 5. Northern Raven. 



B. Wings, 13-15 ; culmen, 2-2| ; neck feathers narrow and pointed, 

 and those of the back neck peculiarly white at base. Kxtnme 



western 6. White-necked Raven. 



B. Wings, ll.\-14; culmen, lJ-2 ; neck feathers not sharp imintcd 



7. American Crow. 



B. Wings, 10-lU ; culmen, U-IJ ; neck feathers not sharp pointed. . . 



." ." 8. Fish Crow. 



C. Plumage, mainly gray ; wings, glossy black 



Clark's Nutcracker (8). 



C. Plumage, mainly dull blue Pinon Jay (8). 



1. American Magpie (475. Pica ji)ca hudsonica). — A large, 

 western, long-tailed, brightly iridescent black bird, with white 

 shoulders, tip of wings, and belly. It is generally a ground- 

 living, noisy bird, with an infinite variety of notes, harsh and 

 pleasant, discordant and musical, squeaky and gurgling. 



