282 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



fir-tree ou the edge of a wood. It was saddled on a horizontal branch 

 about fifteen feet from the ground, and contained six eggs. Tiie base of the 

 nest was composed of coarse strong sticks, rudely put together. U]>()n this 

 was constructed a solid, firm plastering of mud of a uniform concave sliape, 

 lined with fine wiry roots. The external diameter is about nine inches, and 

 the height of the nest four. The interior is five inches in diameter, and three 

 in depth. 



Tlie species was first described by Professor Baird, from specimens 

 obtained by Dr. Kennerly, who writes that he first saw this bird among 

 the lofty pines of the Sierra Madre in No\'ember, 1853. Leaving that 

 range, he did not meet with it again until his party crossed the Aztec 

 Mountains, in January, 1854, where it was less abundant than when first 

 met with. J I was, for the most part, found among the cedars ou the high 

 grounds, tliough occasionally seen among tlie clumps of large pines that 

 were scattered along the valley. The party did not meet witli it again. 



Dr. Coues found this species a common and a resident bird in Arizona. 

 It was observed to be almost e.xclusively an iuliabitant of pine woods, and was 

 generally to be met with only in small companies, ne\er congregating in the 

 manner of Woodhouse's Jay. He describes it as very shy, vigilant, noisy, 

 and tyrannical. 



The eggs of C. macrolopha measure 1.30 inches in length and .91 in breadth. 

 Their ground-color is a light sea-green. They are somewhat sparingly 

 spotted with fine markings of dark olive-brown, and lighter cloudings of a 

 pnrplisli or violet brown. They are oblong oval in shape, obtuse at either 

 end, but more tapering at one end. They appear to be a little larger than 

 the eggs of stcllcri, and the ground-color is brighter, and tlie markings deeper 

 and more of an olive hue. 



Genus CYANOCITTA, Strickland. 



GyaTwciltfi, Stkickt..\nd, Annals aud Mag. N. H. XV, 1845, 260. (Tjfc, Garrvh": i-ni;. 



fornicus, ViGOius.) 

 Aphelocoma, Cah.vxis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 221. (Same type.) 



Char. Head without crest. Wings and tail blue, without any band;;. Back usually 

 with a gray patch, different from the head. Bill about as broad as high at the base, and 

 the culmen a little shorter than the head. Nostrils large, nearly circular, and concealed. 

 Tail nearly equal to the wings, lengthened, graduated, or else shorter and nearly even. 



This genus is readily distinguished from the preceding by the entire 

 absence of crest and of black Ijars on the blue of wings and tail. The 

 species and races hitherto described will be found detailed in the accompa- 

 nying synopsis. The characters indicated above are of no ^■ery great generic 

 value, liut as the group is a very natural one it will be as well to retain it. 

 As in Cynnvra, the species are peculiar to the United States and Mexico, 

 one indeed being ajiparently confined to the Peninsula of Florida. 



