GYMNOKITTA CYANOCEPHALA, BLUE CROW. 209 



The following interesting passages occur in Mr. Trippe's Manuscripts : 

 "At Idaho Springs, in Colorado, Clarke's Crow is by no means rare; 

 nearly, or quite, resident ; breeds. Eight or ten years ago, as I have 

 been informed by old residents, this bird was exceedingly numerous, 

 and duriiig winter, very tame and bold, ajiproaching close to the cabins 

 and homes of the settlers, and devouring everything left exposed to 

 its voracity. At present it is seldom seen in numbers; but singly, or 

 iu small parties, is not uncommon from about 9,000 feet up to timber- 

 line during the warmer months, descending to the lower valleys, and 

 probably to the foot-hills, during the depth of winter, a few remaining 

 iu the county throughout the year. As soon as the weather has com- 

 menced to moderate a little, they begiu ascending again, working up- 

 ward in advance of all other birds. 



"The habits of Clarke's Crow are well indicated by its name, for they 

 are a compound of those of the Woodpecker and Crow. At times it 

 ' will alight on a dead limb, and hammer it precisely as a Woodpecker 

 does, the loud rattling being audible at a great distance; at others, its 

 actions are so similar to that of a Crow, that one might readily mistake 

 it for a smaller species of that bird were it not for its colors. It fre- 

 quently alights on the top of a tree, and utters its hoarse notes to call 

 or alarm its companions, constantly looking around iii every direction 

 to detect any approaching danger, just as the Crow is in the habit of 

 doing. It is rather a shy bird than otherwise, yet not so wild but that 

 it may be shot by using a little caution in approaching it. Its flight i* 

 bold and strong, with rather quick and rapid strokes, like the Blue 

 Jay's ; at times, after flying a little way from its perch, it will sail oit 

 its wings in a wide circle, returning to the same tree. Near timber- 

 line I have seen dozens of them all performing this manoeuvre together,, 

 sometimes flying hundreds of feet above the trees and returning to them 

 when tired. It occasionally visits the slaughter-houses, and, like a true- 

 Crow, seems to be quite omnivorous, cramming its hungry maw with 

 everything that will satisfy its voracious appetite. In sjjring, when 

 other food is scarce, it even attacks the cones and hudn Oi Finu» imniler- 

 osa and P. contorfa ; and nothing seems to come amiss. A tame one 

 which I saw preferred raw meat, but ate anjthing given to it with ap- 

 parent relish, 



"Clarke's Crow probably breeds very early, as young birds are able 

 to fly in the middle of May ; its nest, however, I was never able to find,. 

 nor even gain any idea of where it is idaced. The young are cared for 

 by the parents a short time after leaving the nest, and are then left to- 

 shift for themselves — hence, as the tirst brood is liatched so early, they 

 may raise a sec^ond ; bat I never saw any young biids ai'ter the latter 

 part of June, and am inclined to think, therefore, that they raise but a 

 single brood. Of notes, this bird ])()ssesses several, all of whii-h are- 

 harsh, grating, and crow-like, many being quite loud. It is tamed as 

 easily as the Crow or Kaven, and soon becomes quite as familiar and 

 impudent, showing all the propensities to theft and mischief that mark 

 those birds." 



GY:\IN0KITTA CYANOCEPnALA, (Maxim.) Bp. 

 Blue Crow; Cassiii's Jay; ^laxiniitian's Juy. 



GymtiorhhiHs qianoaphalun, Maxim., Rui.so, ii, 1H41, 21. 



Gymnoldtta cyaiiuirpliald, I5i'., Coiisp. i, lh'50, :?82. — Cas.s., B. Cal. .tikI Tox. i, IH.'jl. ICTt. pi. 



•id— Ni:wi;., V K. K. K.p. vi. isr>7. s:?.— Maxim., J. f. O. vi, lr<r>H, I'.CJ.— Bd.. B. 



N. A. IdfiH, 074.— Ke.n.n., 1'. H. li. Ktp. x, ldr>U, pt. iv, 3*2.— CoCK», Fr. Pbilu. 



14 



