SANTA CRUZ JAY 115 



across the channel from Santa Barbara on the mainland. It is a rugged, 

 steep, mountainous island, with some of its peaks said to rise from 1,800 

 to 2,700 feet above sea level. The coast line is irregular and largely 

 precipitous, with few suitable landing places except on the beaches at 

 the mouths of the streams. A. B. Howell (1917) says: "The eastern 

 part is very irregular, barren and almost destitute of water. The western 

 part, however, is, in certain localities, especially near Prisoners Harbor, 

 plentifully besprinkled with forests of Santa Cruz pine, which, in the 

 higher parts, gives a distinctly boreal impression. At the lower edge of 

 the pines are oaks and considerable grass land. The larger canyons are 

 well wooded with a variety of deciduous trees, some of them quite 

 large, and there is good water in many of them." 



It was in this latter locality that we landed on June 5, 1914, and 

 spent parts of two days exploring the vicinity of our camp. Here the 

 deep valleys, watered by rocky streams, were well wooded with ancient 

 live oaks, willows, and other deciduous trees and shrubs. There were 

 scattering oaks, or small groves of them on the less exposed portions of 

 the steep hillsides; and the opener hills were covered with wild oats, 

 scattering bushes, and some cactus. But it was in the wooded valleys 

 that we found the main object of our search, the grand Santa Cruz jay. 

 Most of the other birds, towhees, vireos, flycatchers, wrens, warblers, 

 and hummers, were concentrated with the jays in these valleys or can- 

 yons. The jays were common enough here, but were rather shy and 

 were oftener heard than seen. We did not explore the pines at the 

 higher elevations, but Mr. Hov.-ell (1917) says that these jays "are not 

 equally common over the entire island, but seem to prefer the neighbor- 

 hood of the pines and heavy brush." 



Nesting. — Mr. Howell (1917) writes: "It is truly surprising to note 

 the number of old jays' nests upon the island. These must either last 

 for a greater number of years than is the case elsewhere, or else the 

 birds are in the habit of building extra or dummy nests. The favorite 

 sites seem to be in the tops of the local *palo fierro' (iron wood) trees, 

 though many were noted in low oaks or large bushes, mostly on the 

 sides of the canyons. Construction is the same as that employed by the 

 mainland form. The latter part of April, 1911, all the females shot had 

 already laid, and I believe that a large majority of them had small young. 

 Two nests that I examined on the 28th were some tv/enty feet up in 

 ironwoods, and held, respectively, two small young and an addled egg. 

 and three young, half grown." 



W. L. Dawson (1923) says: 



The Santa Cruz Jay nests early. The last week in March is the height of the 

 season, counting always by fresh eggs. We have found them as early as March 



