286 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



of under parts dirty wliilish-brown ; under tail-coverts blue, tlie tibia tinged willi llie 

 same. Length, 11.00; wing, 4.50; tail, 5.70; tarsus, 1.45. 

 Had. Florida only, and quite local. 



H.\BiTS. This beautiful species appears to be exclusively cuuliiied to 

 tlie peninsula of Florida, and there is no authentic evidence that it has ever 

 been found outside of the limits of that State. The statement of Bonaparte, 

 that these l)irds are found in the States of Louisiana and Kentucky, has 

 never been confirmed, and Mr. Audubon, who was for many years a resident 

 of botli States ami fauiiliar with tlie birds of each, was very positive the 

 statement was witliout foundation. It has never been observed even in 

 Georg-ia or Alabama, and ^Mr. iS'^uttall states that it is not found in any part 

 of West Florida. 



Mr. Allen, in his recent paper on tlie winter birds of East Florida, speak- 

 ing of this species, states tliat it is numerous in the scrub, but does not appear 

 to frequent the pine woods, the hummocks, or the swamps. He saw none 

 along the St. John's, except at Blue Springs, but they occur in numbers a 

 few miles back from the river. 



Dr. Bryant, in his Notes on the birds of Florida, mentions that this spe- 

 cies is tolerably plentiful in tlie vicinity of Enterprise. He regarded it 

 as exceedingly interesting on account of its limited geographical distrilm- 

 tion. With no apparent obstacle to its movements, it is yet confined to 

 a small jiart of the peninsula of Florida, its area of distribution north and 

 south not exceeding three degrees of latitude, if so much. He saw none 

 nortli of St. Augustine, and none south of Jupiter's Inlet. So far as he 

 observed them, they were exclusively confined to the growth of scrub-oak, 

 which in many places is so entangled with creeping plants that it is im- 

 possible to walk through withotit cutting a path. This growth is generally 

 found on elevated ridges running parallel to the sea-coast. Tiie most ex- 

 tensive of these, near Enterprise, is about three miles wide, and eighty feet 

 above tlie lake. 



The liiglit of this species is said by Mr. Audubon to be performed at a 

 short distance from the ground, and to consi.st either of a single sailing 

 sweep, as it passes from one tree to another, or of continuous flappings with 

 a slightly undulating motion, in the manner of the Canada Jay. Its notes 

 are descrilied as softer than those of the Blue Jay, and more frequently 

 uttered. Its motions nre also quicker and more abrupt. Its food is said to 

 consi.st of snails, which it collects on the ground, insects, and various kinds 

 of fruits and berries. It is also charged with being very destructive of eggs 

 and young birds. 



The Florida Jay is said to be easily kept in confinement, feeding readily 

 on dried or fresh fruit and the kernels of various nuts, and soon a]ipears to 

 be reconciled to its loss of liberty. It secures its food between its feet, and 

 breaks it into pieces before swallowing it. In this way it feeds on tlio acorn 

 of the live-oak, snails, and the seeds of the sword-palmetto. 



