ROCKY MOUNTAIN JAY 19 



fragments of a beetle and seeds of the serviceberry were found in some 

 of the stomachs. In the three stomachs taken December 3, 1926, seeds of 

 Rosaceae figured largely, from 95 to 98 percent ; mixed with them were a 

 few seeds of serviceberiy and a few insect fragments. Mr. Packard 

 writes to me: 



"Every camp and cabin in the higher parts of the park has its coterie of 

 jays that depends to some extent upon food discarded by campers to 

 supplement their own forage. A site may be used but once or twice a 

 year, yet within 5 minutes of a person's arrival there the camp robbers 

 are hopping on nearby trees in anticipation of a handout. 



"On July 5, 1939, shrill cries coming from the top of a small Engel- 

 mann spruce near timberline at Milner Pass disclosed two ruby-crowned 

 kinglets darting at a pair of camp robbers, each of which had a nearly 

 grown kinglet in its claws. The jays paid little attention to the agitated 

 parents, but calmly devoured the nestlings while we watched. In each 

 case, the jay opened the stomach of its prey, ate the viscera, and then 

 pecked at the head. I have also observed camp robbers carrying nestling 

 Audubon's warblers in midsummer." 



Behavior. — In general habits and behavior the Rocky Mountain jay 

 is much like its better-known northern relative; it has the same thieving 

 habits, is equally bold and inquisitive, and is quite as sociable and 

 friendly, the camper's companion and a nuisance to the trapper or the 

 hunter, Mr. Skinner (1921) calls attention to two points, not mentioned 

 under the preceding race ; he says : 



The flight of a Rocky Mountain Jay seems weak. A few wing strokes carries 

 the bird along slowly and upward slightly, then a sail carries him down at about 

 the same angle, and this sequence is repeated over and over again, resulting in 

 a slow flight of long, shallow undulations- ♦ * * Birds of the air and of the 

 tree tops as they are, when they are on the ground they move somewhat awk- 

 wardly in a series of long hops, a little sideways perhaps, a good deal like 

 crows and ravens. 



Its migrations, if they may be called such, are more altitudinal than 

 latitudinal. It wanders to lower elevations in winter and often seeks 

 the vicinity of permanent camps and settlements in search of food, re- 

 tiring to the higher altitudes at the approach of the breeding season. 

 During the nesting season it is very retiring and secretive but is much 

 more in evidence during fall and early in winter. 



Mr. Saunders writes to me : "They stay around lumber camps or other 

 places, feeding on garbage, particularly scraps of meat or fat, but also 

 bread. At such seasons, if one stops to eat lunch anywhere in the ever- 

 green forests, the birds will appear shortly, and are very tame, and ready 

 to share all the lunch one is willing to give them." 



