OREGON JAY 25 



about four feet, with the birds after him at once. However, by now the weasel 

 had reached a pile of brush. The last glimpse I had of his coat it seemed bloodier 

 than ever. 



The weasel was now safe from further attack, and the jays had put up 

 a brave fight to protect their young from one of the fiercest fighters in 

 tlie woods. 



PERISOREUS CANADENSIS OBSCURUS Ridgway 



OREGON JAY 

 HABITS 



The Oregon jay, according to Ridgway (1904), inhabits the "Pacific 

 coast district, from Humboldt County, California, to southern British 

 Columbia (Vancouver Island and coast of opposite mainland)." The 

 1931 Check-list gives its range as "Pacific coast from Western 

 Washington to Mendocino County, California." Perhaps there is some- 

 thing yet to be learned as to where it intergrades with the other race, 

 griseus. 



It is a true "whisky jack," or "camp robber," replacing the Canada 

 jay and its subspecies to the westward of the Rocky Mountains. It 

 closely resembles the Canada jay in general appearance and habits, 

 though it is smaller, browner on the back, where the feathers have dis- 

 tinct whitish shaft-streaks, and whiter on the underparts. 



It seems to be confined mainly to the heavy coniferous forests at the 

 higher altitudes in the mountains, at least during the breeding season. 



G. Buchanan Simpson (1925), who gives an account of 8 years' 

 friendship with Oregon jays, says: "In this district (Lake Cowichan. 

 B. C), these birds are usually to be found in the wilder mountainous 

 regions. In winter, however, they often come down to within a few- 

 hundred feet of Lake level in the dense forest." 



Courtship. — Mr. Simpson (1925) writes: "In February the male 

 makes very pretty love to his spouse. The latter sits on a nearby perch, 

 ignoring any food that is thrown out. She flaps her wings in a coy way, 

 after the manner of a nestling being fed by its mother, making plaintive 

 little cries. The male bird scrambles for the most pleasing bit of food 

 which is to be found, and gallantly carries it to his wife, who receives 

 it in her beak and eats it with a great show of satisfaction." 



Nesting. — A. W. Anthony was evidently the first to record the finding 

 of the nest of this jay, near Beaverton, Oreg. He wrote to Major Bendire 

 (1895) about it as follows: 



The birds were discovered building on March 4, 1885; one of them was seen 

 clinging to the side of a dead stub, about 75 feet from the ground. He was tearing 



