CORVID^ — THE CROWS. 283 



It would perhaps be not very far out of the way to cousider Sections A 



Cyanocitta cali/amica. 



and r> as representing in their general characters, respectively, the tj-jies 

 from which their subdivisions have sprung. 



A. Tail longer than wings. A superciliary stripe of whitish streaks ; jugular 

 and pectoral feathers faintly edged with bluish, po.steriorly forming an indistinct 

 collar, interrupted medially. Ear-coverts dusky, except in var. ivoodhousei. 



a. Forehead and nasal tufts hoary white ; the superciliary stripe a continuous 

 wash of the same. Scapulars blue like the wings ; dorsal region (the inter- 

 scapulars) as light-colored as the lower parts. 



C. floridana. Back and lower parts pale a-shj' -brown ; lower tail- 

 coverts bright blue. Wing, 4.50 ; tail, 5.70 ; bill, 1.20 and .35 ; tarsus, 

 1.40; middle toe, .85. Wing-formula, 4, 5, 6, 7, 3, 8, 9, 2, 10; first, 

 1.80 shorter than longest. Graduation of tail, 1.50. ffab. Florida 

 (only). 

 6. Forehead and nasal tufts bright Ijlue ; superciliary stripe composed of 

 narrow streaks ; scapulars ashy like the back ; back much darker than the 

 lower ]iarts. 



C. californica. 



Lower tail-coverts bright bine, dorsal region not well-defined ashy; 

 auriculars bluish, beneath continuous pure ash. Superciliary streak 

 well defined. Wing, 5.15; tail, 6.00; bill, 1.35 and .30; tarsus, 

 1.40 ; middle toe, .85. Wing-formula, fourth, fifth, and sixth 

 equal ; 7, 3, 8, 9 = 2 ; first, 1.80 shorter than longest. Gradua- 

 tion of tail, .90. Hab. Rocky Mountains and Middle Province of 



United States var. woodhousei. 



Lower tail-coverts pure white; dorsal region well-defined ashy; 

 auriculars blackish ; beneath dull white, approaching ash on breast 

 Superciliary streak indistinct. Wing, 5.65 ; tail, 6.00 ; bill, 1.20 

 and .35; tarsus, 1.42; middle toe, .90. Wing-formula, 5, 6, 7, 4, 

 8, 3, 9, 10=2; first, 2.20 shorter than longest. Graduation 

 of tail, .80. //a6. Mexico (Orizaba ; City of Mexico) var. sumichrasti} 



1 Cyanodtla svmichrnsti Ribgwav, Rpp. IT. S. Geol. Expl. 4nth Par. All J[exican Cyano- 

 cittas with a whiti.sh superciUary streak, blue edgings to jugular feathers, etc., are to be referred 

 to this strongly marked race. A very conspicuous character of this variety is the strong " hook" 

 to the upper mandible ; the tip beyond the notch being much elongated, or unusually "pro- 

 duced." In the collection is a specimen (60,058 9, Mexico, A. BotrcARn) which we have re- 



