CROWS, JAYS, MAGPIES, ETC. 273 



it gleans from abandoned camps, and in Arizona, though resident 

 up to 10,000 feet, is often seen on the high rail fences built to keep 

 range cattle M'ithin bounds. 



Chack-ah, chack-ah, chack-aJi, chack, the jay squalls, jerking his 

 tail and dashing about, soaring down with short wings wide-spread, 

 lighting on the side of a tree to inspect the cracks in the bark, or 

 dropping to the ground to hunt for fallen mast. 



In tiight the crest is sometimes lowered almost to the horizontal, 

 but, as a small Arizona observer noted, "when they holler they 

 stick that right straight up." This 'hollering' includes a squeal 

 which is so close to that of the red-tailed hawk as to be a good test 

 to the ear of the observer. 



478a C. S- frontalis {Bidgic.). Blue-fronted Jay.^ 



Adults. — Fore parts of body brownish slate, with blue tinge to crest and 

 blue streaks on forehead ; wings and tail dark blue, barred; rump and 

 under parts dull turquoise. Length : 11.7o-lo.OO, wing 5.50-0.10, tail 5.10- 

 5.75, exposed culnien 1.00-1.20. 



Distribution. — Southern coast ranges and Sierra Nevada of California 

 and western Nevada, from Fort Crook south to northern Lower California. 



Nest. — Like that of stelleri usually in tirs, cedars, and pines, but some- 

 times in snowsheds and natural cavities in trees and stubs, from -4 to 50 

 feet from the ground. Eggs : o to 5, like those of stelleri. 



Food. — Acorns, pine seeds, and a variety of animal and vegetable mat- 

 ter. 



478b. C. s. diademata {Bonap). Long-crested Jay. 



Like C. ^^ anuertens, but white spot over eye always conspicuous and 

 streaking on forehead whitish; black of head in sharp contrast to gray of 

 back; chest bluish ; blue of belly and rump dull turquoise as in frontalis. 

 Lenqth : 11. 75-lo. 75, wing 5. '55-0. 40. tail 5.25-0.25, exposed culmen 1.08- 

 1.14. 



Distribution. — Resident in Transition and Canadian zones in the south- 

 ern liocky Mountains from southern Wyoming south to Zacatecas, Mex- 

 ico, west to Uintah Mountains. I'tah. and high mountains of Arizona. 



Xest. — .Similar to that of stelleri. usually in small bushy pines or other 

 conifers S to 15 feet from the ground. Eggs: 3 to 0, similar to those of 

 stelleri. 



Foixl. — Partly gra.sshoppers and pine seeds. 



478c. C. s. annectens (F>aird). Plack-hkaded Jay. 



Ib'a<l ])la('k, l)ack slaty, hbie of nndor parts dark as in stelleri ; streaks 

 on fori head bluish //7///r. somt-tinics indistinct ; small white spot ortr eye. 



Remarks. — The bhack-ln-adt'd has tJic general body coloi-s of the Steller 

 jay, with the eye sjxjt and streaks appro.-iching those of the long-crested. 

 Length: 12-5()-l;;.75, wing 5.l)()-(i.(i(), tail 5.SO-0.()5, exposed culmen .07- 

 l.OS. 



' Cyanocillii stelleri rdrtinmirrii Grinnell. 



Likp/»v>H/rt/i.t, but darker, frontal blue 8pots rpBtricteil ; liead darker tlian back, back 

 warm slate Rray. 



JUstnfiutioti. — Coaflt of California, Monterey County, north to Oregon; Oregon west 

 to CaacadeH, including eaat slope of Casoadeu. (T/i<; Coiulur, ii. 127 ; iv. 41.) 



