Pifion Jay 297 



first eggs taken in Colorado, on March 5th, 1888, near 

 Gold Hill, in Boulder co. The nest was placed about 

 eight feet from the ground, in a thick and bushy yellow 

 pine, at an elevation of 8,500 feet ; it consisted of a 

 platform of twigs of the juniper, on which was raised 

 the nest proper, mostly constructed of strips of the inner 

 bark of the juniper, skilfully woven into a deep cup, 

 together with grass and pine needles ; no wool or feathers 

 were used. The eggs, three in number, were pale greenish- 

 blue, slightly peppered with greyish -brown. A second 

 nest was found the following year, on April 16th. Only 

 one brood is raised each year, and the young ones are 

 flying in the middle of May. 



Genus CYANOCEPHALUS. 



Birds of moderate size — wing under 6-0 — with a long, slender and 

 somewhat compressed bill ; nostrils oval and exposed, not concealed 

 by bristles, with a slightly developed, overhanging operculum ; no 

 crest ; wing long and pointed, tail rather short, about f the length of 

 wing, nearly even ; plumage blue. 



The Piilon Jay is the only species assigned to this somewhat 

 aberrant genus. 



Pinon Jay. Cyanocephalus cyanocephalus. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 492— Colorado Records — Aiken 72, p. 204 ; 

 75, p. 370 ; Henshaw 75, p. 331 ; 78, p. 112 ; Drew 81, p. 139 ; 85, 

 p. 16 ; Goss 83, p. 43 ; Allen & Brewster 83, p. 193 ; Morrison 88, p. 107 ; 

 89, p. 147 ; Bendire 92, p. 424 ; Lowe 94, p. 269 ; Cooke 97, pp. 93, 

 210 ; Christy 98, p. 57 ; Henderson 03, p. 107 ; 09, p. 234 ; Warren 

 06, p. 22 ; 08, p. 22 ; 09, p. 15 ; Oilman 07, p. 156 ; Rockwell 08, 

 p. 169 ; Cary 09, p. 182. 



Description. — Adult — General colour above and below greyish-blue, 

 becoming darker and richer on the crown, brighter, almost azure, on 

 the cheeks, and streaked with greyish-white on the chin and throat ; 

 below slightly paler than the back, especially posteriorly ; iris brown, 

 bill and legs black. Length 9-75 ; wing 5-90 ; tail 3-90 ; culmen 1-30 ; 

 tarsus 1-30. 



The female is slightly smaller — wing about 5-70. Birds in the fall 

 and winter are a good deal brighter. The young bird is dull, smoky- 

 grey above, somewhat paler below ; the wings and tail greyish-blue 

 as in the adult. 



