CALIFORNIA JAY 101 



population of the 200 square miles in which the hunting was most con- 

 centrated, would be 11,636. On this basis, the shooting of 612 jays 

 resulted in destruction of about 5 per cent of the jay population." 



The shoot in which these 612 jays were killed was at the beginning of 

 the nesting season, when it would have the maximum effect on the breed- 

 ing population. She reasons that " the shoot held in the fall of 1935 

 when the population was near its maximum, probably did not eliminate 

 more than 5 per cent of the next breeding population [italics mine], 

 even though twice as many were killed, for part of the kill was com- 

 posed of birds which in time would have been destroyed by natural 

 forces." 



Probably this 5 percent reduction in numbers, even if accomplished 

 every year, would have no appreciable effect on the year to year popula- 

 tion of jays. For it is a well-known fact that every suitable habitat is 

 filled up to its capacity to support the species ; and that the removal of 

 a few individuals makes it just so much easier for others to survive, or 

 to drift in from outside. Natural causes probably eliminate much more 

 than 5 percent of the species each year, but any release of pressure 

 enables the species to expand and fill in the gap. Any attempt at a 

 wholesale and systematic elimination of the California jays, that would 

 be effective, would prove very expensive and would probably not succeed. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — Western United States and Mexico ; not regularly migratory. 



The range of the California jay extends north to southwestern Wash- 

 ington (Vancouver) ; southeastern Oregon (Malheur Lake) ; northern 

 Utah (Ogden) ; and northern Colorado (Two Bar Springs and Sedalia). 

 East to central Colorado (Sedalia and Fountain) ; northwestern Okla- 

 homa (Kenton) ; eastern New Mexico (Santa Rosa and Capitan Moun- 

 tains) ; western Texas (San Angelo and Kerrville) ; Coahuila (Sierra 

 Guadalupe and Carneros) ; San Luis Potosi (Choreas and Jesus Maria) ; 

 Hidalgo (Real del Monte) ; Veracruz (Perote and Orizaba) ; and 

 Oaxaca (Coixtlahuaca and Mount Zempoaltepec). South to Oaxaca 

 (Mount Zempoaltepec and Ejutla) ; and southern Baja California (Cape 

 San Lucas). West to Baja California (Cape San Lucas, Llano de Yrais, 

 San Ignacio. and San Pedro Martir Mountains) : western California 

 (San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Red Bluff, and Mount 

 Shasta) ; western Oregon (Waldo, Corvallis, and Dayton) ; and south- 

 western Washington (Vancouver). 



As outlined, the range includes the entire species, of which 10 sub- 

 species are currently recognized. The typical California jay (Aphelocoma 

 coeridescens calif ornica) occupies the coastal region of California from 



667497—46—8 



