586 



U. S. p. R. R. EXP AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT 



specimens have coramon characters in which they differ from Caliroriiia jays. The most 

 striking of these differences is in the much darker shade of the under parts, in which there is no 

 white at all, exce])t perhaps immediately around the anus. The under tail coverts are of a clear 

 blue, almost as bright as that on the upper coverts, and there is a general faint gloss of blue 

 beneath, especially along the middle of the body, while in californica there is only a faint trace of 

 blue on the under coverts. The back is more strongly glossed with blue ; so much so as almost 

 to take away the impression of any gray patch at all. The lores are quite black, without the 

 mixture of hoary, seen in californica. The wing is rather longer in proportion ; the tail rather 

 less graduated. The bill is more slender. 



A specimen, 84G5, from Mexico, doubtfully referred here, is quite similar to those from the 

 Eocky mountains ; the tail is, however, rather less graduated, and the under tail coverts are 

 white. There is little or no trace of the superciliary line of white spots. The bill is much 

 shorter, broader, and more obtuse. 



List of specimens. 



CYANOCITTA FLORID ANA, B o n a p . 



Florida Jay. 



Corvusjlorxdanus, Bartram, Travels, 1791, 291.— Aud. Cm. Biog. I, 1831, 444 ; pi. 87. 



Garrulusfioridanus, Bon. Am. Orn. II, 1828, 11 ; pi. xi.— Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 230.— Aud. Syn. 1839, 154.— 1b. 



Birds Amer. IV, 1842, 118; pi. 233. 

 Cyanurus fioritlanus, Swainsok, F. B. A. II, 1831, 49.'>. 

 Cyanocvrax Jloridatius, I3oN. List, 1838. 

 Cyanocitta Jloridatia, Eon. Consp. 1850, 377. 

 .Sphelocomajloridana, CAHiMB, Mils Hein. 1851,22. 

 Gamilus cyaneus, Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. XII, 1817, 476. (Not described.) 

 ? Garrulus cacruUscens, Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. XII, 1817, 480.— Ord. J. A. N. Sc. I, 1818, 347. 

 Pica caerulescens, Wagler, Syst. Av. 1827, Pica, No. 11. 



Sp. Ch. — Tail munli graduated ; lateral feathers more than one inch shortest Tail an inch longer tlian the wings. Above 

 hluc ; middle of the back brownish ash. Forehead and sides of the crown, including the nasal fealhors, hoary white. Sides 

 of head and neck, blue ; the former tinged with blackish, the latter sending a streaked collar of the .-ianie across the breast ; 

 region anterior to this collar dirty white streaked on the edges of the feathers with blue ; rest of under parts dirty whitish 

 brown ; under tail coverts blue, the tibia tinged with the same. Length, 10.50 ; wing, 4.40 ; tail, 5.70 ; tarsus, 1 .45. 



This species is very similar to the Eocky mountain C. tvoodhouseii in the color of the under 

 parts, including the brown belly, the blue crissum, the pectoral band, &c. Tlie back, however, 

 is much lighter and better defined grey, more so even tlian in G. californica. It differs from 

 both species in the hoary on the forehead and sides of the crown, and iu the absence of tliu 

 superciliary line of white spots, as also in being considerably smaller. 



