COK\ID.E~THE CKOW.S. 30] 



isothermal line of this region passes south of Cincinnati, shows that climate 

 and temi^eratiire do not regulate the range of this species. As observed in 

 the summer montlis among the forests of Oregon, the Canada Jay appeared 

 as a rather shy bird, exhibiting none of the familiarity and impudence ex- 

 hibited in winter when made bold by hunger. 



Wilson mentions the St. Lawrence as tlie southern boundary (if tliis bird, 

 a few only wintering in Northern Xew York and Vermont. But tiiis is 

 inexact. They are found resident throughout the year in a large part of 

 ilaine and in all the highlands of Xew Hampshire and Vermont. They 

 are resident at Calais, where they lireed in March at about latitude 45°, and 

 descend in the winter to the southwest corner ijf Vermont, whence it is 

 quite probable a few cross into Jlassachusetts, at Williamstown and Adams, 

 though none have been detected, that I am aware. Wilson himself states 

 that he was informed by a gentleman residing near Hudson, N. Y., tliat these 

 birds have been observed in that neighborhood in the winter. 



Dr. Coues met with these birds in Lalirador. The tirst he saw were in a 

 dense spruce forest. These were very shy, aligliting only on the tops of the 

 tallest trees, and flying off witli loud harsh screams on his approach. Sub- 

 sequently, at Iiigolet, lie found them abundant and very familiar. One or 

 more were always to be seen hopping unconcernedly in the garden-patches 

 around the houses, not in the least disturbed by the near presence of man, 

 and showing no signs of fear even wlien very closely approached. He 

 describes their voice as a harsh, discordant scream. 



Mr. Edward Harris, of Moorestown, N. J., informed Mr. Aixdubon, that 

 once, when fishing in a canoe in one of the lakes in tlie interior of Maine, 

 these Jays were so fearless as to light on one end of liis boat while he sat in 

 the other, and helped themselves to his bait without taking any notice of 

 liiiii. 



A nest of tlie Canada Jay, found by Jlr. Boardman near St. Stephen's, 

 New Brunswick, measures four and a lialf inches in diameter and three 

 inches in lieight. The cavity is about three inches wide and two deep. The 

 nest is woven above a rude platform of sticks and twigs crossed and inter- 

 laced, furnishing a roughly made hemispherical base and periphery. Upon 

 this an inner and more artistic nest has been wrought, made of a soft felting 

 of fine mosses closely impacted and lined with feathers. The nest contained 

 three eggs. 



The egg of the Canada Jay measures 1.20 inches in length, by .S2 of an 

 inch in breadth. They are of an oblong-oval shape, and are more tapering 

 at the smaller end than are most of tlie eggs of this family. The ground- 

 color is of a light gray, witli a .slightly yellowish tinge over the entire 

 egg, finely mai-ked, more abundantly about the larger end, witli points 

 and blotches of slate-color and brown, and faint cloudings of an obscure 

 lilac. 



