THE PINON JAY. 21 



No. 6. 



PINON JAY. 



A. O. U. Xo. 492. Cyanocephalus cyanocephalus ( Maxim. j. 



Synonyms. — Blue Cruw. Maximilian's Jav. Pine Jay. 



Description. — Adults: Plumage dull grayish blue, deepening on crown and 

 nape, brightening on cheeks, paling below posteriorly, streaked and grayish white 

 on chin, throat and chest centrally; bill and feet black; iris brown. Young birds 

 duller, gray rather than blue, except on wings and tail. Length of adult males 

 11.00-12.00; wing 6.00 (154) ; tail 4.50 {114) ; bill 1.42 (36) ; tarsus 1.50 (38). 

 Female somewhat smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — Robin size; blue color; crow-like aspect. 



Nesting. — Not supposed to nest in State. 



General Range. — Pifion and juniper woods of western United States; north 

 to southern British Columbia (interior;, Idaho, etc.; south to Northern Lower 

 California, Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas; casually along the eastern 

 slopes of the Rocky Mts. 



Range in Washington. — One record by Capt. Bendire, Fort Simcoe, 

 Yakima Co., June, 1881, "quite numerous.'' Presumably casual at close of 

 nesting season. 



Authorities. — ["Maximilian's Nutcracker," Johnson, Rep. Gov. W. T. 1884 

 (1885), 22. \ Cyanocephalus cyanocephalus (Wied), Bendire, Life Hist. N. A. 

 Birds, Vol. IL p. 425 (1895). 



Specimens. — C. 



CAPTAIN BENDIRE who is sole authority for the occurrence of 

 this bird in Washington may best be allowed to speak here from his wide 

 experience : 



"The Pihon Jay. locally known as "Nutcracker.' "^^laximilian's Jay,' 

 'Blue Crow,' and as 'Pinonario' by the Mexicans, is rather a common resident 

 in suitable localities throughout the southern portions of its range, while 

 in the northern parts it is only a summer \-isitor. migrating regularly. It 

 is most al.iundantlv found throughout the pihon and cedar-covered foothills 

 abounding between the western slopes of the Reeky IMountains and the 

 eastern bases of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges in California, Nevada, 

 and Oregon. 



"It is an eminently sociable species at all times, even during the breeding 

 season, and is usually seen in large compact flocks, moving about from 

 place to place in search of feeding grounds, being 011 the whole rather restless 

 and erratic in its movements ; you may meet with thousands in a place 

 to-day and perhaps to-morrow you will fail to see a single one. It is rarely 

 met with at altitudes of 'over 9,000 feet in summer, and scarcely ever in 



