5S4 TJ. S. p. R. R. EXP, AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



CYANOCITTA, Strickland. 



Cyanocitta, Strickland, Annals and Mag. N. H. XV, 1845, 260. Type, GarrtUiis callfornkus, Vigors. 

 Jiphelocoma, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 221. Same type. 



Ch. — Head without crest. Wings and tail blue, without any bands. Back with a £ray patch, different from the head. Bill 

 about as broad as high at the base, and the culmen a little shorter tlian the head , Nostrils large, nearly circular, and concealed , 

 Tail shorter or nearly equal to the wings, lengthened, graduated. 



This genus has much the general character of Ci/anura or the hlue jays, hut is readily 

 distinguished by the absence of a crest and of black bars on the wings and tail. The wings 

 generally are shorter ; the general characteristics, however, appear much the same. 



The G. idtramarina differs from the other species in having the wings considerably longer, or 

 fully equal to the tail, which also is nearly even, instead of considerably graduated. 



Synopsis of species. 



Blue of sides of head extending over the sides of the breast to its middle. Chin, throat, 

 and breast white ; the feathers of the latter margined with blue. Interscapular gray patch 

 conspicuou.sly different from the head. A superciliary streak of white. 



Eelly and under tail coverts dull white. Forehead blue. A well marked superciliary 



stripe C. californica. 



Belly light brownish ash ; under tail coverts blue. Forehead blue like the crown. 



Interscapular region glossed with hlue. SujDerciliary stripe distinct G. tcoodhouseii. 



Belly brownish ash ; under tail coverts blue. Forehead and sides of crown bluish hoary, 

 conspicuously different from the blue crown, the superciliary stripe not well marked. 



G. floridana. 



Under parts without any bluish edges to the pectoral feathers ; breast bluish ash ; belly and 



crissum pure white. Interscapular region scarcely different from the remaining upper surfaces. 



Tail nearly even, considerably shorter than the wing C. idtramarina. 



Tail rounded, nearly as long as the wings G. sordida. 



CYANOCITTA CALIFOEKICA, Strickland. 



California Jay. 



Garrulus californicus, Vigors, Zool. Becchey's Voyage, 1839, 21 ; pi. v. 



Cfjanocilla californica, Strickland, Ann. Mag. XV, 1845, 342. — Gambf.l, J.A.N. So. 2d series, I, Dec. 1847, 



45.— BoN. Conspectus, 1850, 377.— Newberry, P. R. R. Rep. VI, iv, 1857, 85. 

 Cyanocorax californicus, Gambkl, Pr. A. N. Sc. Ill, Ap. 1847, 201. 

 Jlfheloeoma californica, Cabanib, Mus. Hein. 1851, 221.— Bon. Coniptos Rendus, XXXVII, Nov. 1853, 828; Notes 



Orn. Delattro. 

 Corvua vUramarinus, Add. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 456 ; pi. 362. Not Garrulus nlltamarinus, Bon. 

 Garrulus ultramarimis , Ann. Syn. 1839, 154.— Ib. Birds Amcr. IV, 1842, 115 ; pi. 232. Not of Bonaparte. 

 Cyanocilla superciliosa , Strickland, Ann. Mag. XV, 1845, 2G0. Typo of genus Cyunocitla. 

 " Corvuspallialus, Drapif.z," Bonap. 



Sp. Cm. — Width of bill at base of lower mandible rather more than half the length of culmen. Lateral tail featlierg about 

 an inch shortest. Tail an inch longer than the wings. General color above, including the surface of the wings, bright blue, 

 without any bars. The whole back, including to some extent the interscapulars, brownish ash, very faintly glossed with l>lue 

 in the adult. A streaked white superciliary line friiMi a little anterior to the eye as far as the occiput. Sides of the head and 

 neck blue, the region aroimd and l)ebind the eye, including lores and most of ear coverts, black. The blue of the siilns of thu 

 nock extends across the fore pari of the breast, forming a crescent, interrupted in the middle. The under jiiirls anterior to liie 



