LONG-TAILED JAY 89 



junipers they were seen in mountain mahogany, sage-brush, and willows 

 (in the canons)," 



Nesting. — The nesting habits of the long-tailed jay are apparently 

 similar to those of the other California races, and the eggs are prac- 

 tically indistinguishable. The measurements of 40 eggs average 28.4 

 by 21.0 millimeters; the eggs showing the four extremes measure 31.2 

 by 21.3, 27.4 by 22.0, 25.0 by 20.0, and 26.5 by 19.5 millimeters. 



Young. — Grinnell and Storer (1924) have written quite fully on the 

 habits of this subspecies, some of which may well be quoted here. While 

 watching the two parent birds feeding their young, they noted that — 



the parent birds had a particular route in approaching and leaving the nest, and 

 this route was adhered to strictly. They would always approach through the 

 trees of a wooded slope to the east, and then, having reached the nest tree, hop 

 by easy stages to a position on the west side of the nest. From there the nestlings 

 would be fed, and then the nest cleaned. After that the bird would work out of 

 the south side of the willow, fly to a digger pine across the creek immediately 

 above our tent, hop upward until near the top of the pine, and from there would 

 take off in a direct course to its next forage ground. Even when the jays had 

 been hunting insects in the open area immediately west of our camp, they would 

 circle about when ready to return to the nest and approach it from the east. Only 

 one adult visited the nest at a time although they often followed one another in 

 quick succession. Save for the low crooning given when standing over the 

 young, no calls were uttered while the parents were in the vicinity of the nest. 

 There was a "zone of quiet" about their home, within which the owners would 

 not call or raise any alarm. 



Behavior. — Of its behavior they say: "The Interior California Jay is 

 notoriously bold and forward in its behavior ; although it is counted as 

 a nonflocking species, individuals and pairs will gather quickly in re- 

 .sponse to the excited calls of one of their kin. The birds seem never 

 to be so busy with their own affairs that they cannot stop and investi- 

 gate any object of an unusual nature. Ordinarily this jay is the picture 

 of animation. Perched, it stands in an attitude of alertness, its head 

 up, tail straight back or tilted slightly upward, and feet slightly spread. 

 Just after alighting a jay will often execute a deep bow involving the 

 entire body, and this may be repeated a number of times and in different 

 directions. The purpose of this bowing is not clear to us." 



Mrs. Ruth Wheeler writes to me of her experience with this jay : 

 "I had a very interesting experience last year photographing a family 

 of the California jay. We found the parents to be extremely wary. I have 

 never worked with birds that appeared to show as much intelligence. 

 We set up our bird blind near their nest, which was in a young oak, 

 and only about 4 feet from the ground. Although the birds had become 

 used to the blind and were nowhere to be seen when we entered, still 

 they appeared to know that we were there. They came back very 



