414 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.84 



birds under the same specific name. ^Vhile typical rustica of western 

 Europe has a pronounced black band across the breast, this becomes 

 interrupted in part at least of the birds of eastern Asia, some specimens 

 of tytleri especially being very closely similar to erythrogaster. On this 

 basis the American birds will be called Hirundo rustica erythrogaster. 



Family CORVIDAE 



CYANOCITTA CKISTATA CRISTATA (Linnaeus) 



Northern Blue Jay 



In the breeding season blue jays were obtained only at Persinger, 

 Nicholas County, May 16; on Cheat Mountain above Cheat Bridge, 

 June 26; and in Blister Swamp on Middle Mountain, June 29, the 

 last being a young bird recently from the nest. A few were noted in 

 the Cranberry Glades on May 9 and June 10. The species seems 

 rare as a nesting bird in the State, and of irregular occurrence in 

 general. 



In the migration season blue jays were commoner. Specimens 

 were taken at 3,000 feet on Katis Mountain near White Sulphur 

 Springs, November 6; at 2,900 feet on Flat Top Mountain near 

 Ghent, October 14; at 2,000 feet on Cherry Pond Mountain near 

 Arnett, October 23; and at 4,800 feet on Spruce Ivnob, September 21. 

 Blue jays were seen on WilHams River on October 5 and at Romney 

 on January 1, 1937. 



Three males taken in the breeding season measure as follows: 

 Wing, 133.7 to 136.5; tail, 124.1-132.8; culmen from base, 26.3-27.7; 

 and tarsus, 33.3-36.0 mm. In size these individuals average a httle 

 small, in this indicating possible approach to the southern race, but 

 in color they resemble the northern form distinctly. Most of the 

 fall birds are like those taken in the breeding season in size, though 

 two, probably northern migrants, are distinctly larger. 



CORVUS CORAX PRINCIPALIS Ridgway 



Northern Raven 



This fine bird is found in small numbers throughout the wilder 

 sections of the mountains in the eastern part of the State. A male 

 in full plumage taken at 4,860 feet on the summit of Spruce Knob, 

 September 18, has the following measurements: Wing, 451; tail, 248; 

 culmen from base, 75.8; height of bill at nostril, 27.9; and tarsus, 

 66.6 mm. I saw several at this same place on September 30, 1935, 

 and Perrygo reports that during one period of storm with heavy rain, 

 on September 18, he counted 25 resting near one another on rocks on 

 the summit of the mountain. Mr. Bennett, resident here, says that 

 in winter they are sometimes present in numbers. 



A female taken 6 miles south of Harman, July 6, 1936, measures 

 as follows: Wing, 405; tail, 223; culmen from base, 63.2; depth of 



