300 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



ing in ^lay at Anderson Kiver Fort by Mr. MacFarlane. It was also pro- 

 cured at Big Island by Mr. Reid, at Nulato and Unalakleet by Mr. Dall, at 

 St. Michael's by Colonel Bulkley, at Fort Kenai by Bischoff, and at Fort Kae 

 by 'Sh: Clarke. From the memoranda of Mr. INIacFarlane, we have valuable 

 information in regard to tiie nesting and breeding habits of this species. May 

 24, at Fort Anderson, an Indian lad discovered a nest of this Jay. It was 

 built in a tree, was composed of liay and feathers, and contained, with two 

 young liirds a few days old, an egg that was perfectly fresh. This bird, Mr. 

 jMacFarlaue states, is tolerably numerous in that quarter. During the severe 

 cold of winter it is not quite so common as at other seasons. It is by no 

 means a difficult bird to shoot, as it will always venture into close prox- 

 imity to man. Flesh or fish are certain to attract numbers of them, and 

 they also cause great annoyance to the marten-hunter, by eating the bait 

 placed in the traps used for capturing those animals. None of this species 

 were observed on the Ai'ctic coast, nor east of Horton Eiver, Fort Anderson 

 being the most northern point where Mr. ilacFarlane saw any, in his jour- 

 neys across the barren grounds. 



Other nests found in the same region were usually built in spruce-trees, 

 on branches near the trunk, well concealed from \iew, and about ten feet 

 from tlie ground. They w-ere constructed of liay and feathers, supported 

 underneath by a few willow sticks laid crosswise. 



Mr. Dall characterizes this species as a very bold and familiar bird, that 

 will frequently tly down and steal away his dinner from some hungry dog, 

 if he is not on the alert, or de\our the fish hung up in camp by the Indians 

 to dry. They breed very early, and occupy the same nest year after year. 

 Tlie nest is very large, and composed entirely of soft materials, moss, hair, 

 and the like. On the 20th of April, Mr. Dall received a nest of this Jay 

 containing four half-fledged young, so that they must lay in ilarch. The 

 bird was abundant everywliere on the Yukon Eiver. 



These birds are known througliout the fur countries by the name of 

 Whiskey-Jack, not from any supposed predilection for that beverage, but 

 prnbal:)lv, as ^h: Kennicott has suggested, from a corruption of the Indian 

 name for these birds, Wiss-ka-chon, which has been contorted into Whiskey- 

 John and thence into '\Muskey-Jack. Eichardson observed these birds from 

 Canada to the fur countries as far as latitude 69°. Throughout that region 

 it is a constant attendant at the fur-posts and fisliing-stations, and Viecomes 

 so tame in the winter as to feed from the hand. Yet it is impatient of con- 

 finement, and soon pines away if deprived of its liberty. Its voice is said to 

 be ])laintive and squeaking, though it occasionally makes a low chattering. 

 It hoards berries, pieces of meat, etc., in hoUow trees, or between layers of 

 bark, by which it is enabled to feed its young while the ground is still 

 covered with snow. 



Dr. Xewben-y found this Jay as far to the south, in California, as the 

 upper end (if the Sacramento Yalley, in latitude 40°. The fact that the 



