252 STELLER'S JAY. 



mated so widely diflferent. This resemblance extends even to color in 

 some species ; it might even be asked, what else in fact is the Canada 

 Jay than a large Titmouse, and what the Crested Titmouse, but a small 

 Jay ? The blue color of the typical Jays predominates moreover in 

 other Pari, and the P. caudatus of Europe has also the long, cuneiform 

 tail of some, no less than P. hicolor their crest. 



The genus Garrulus has an extensive geographical range, being found 

 in all latitudes and longitudes. It is composed of about thirty species, 

 nearly half of which may more properly be called Jays : of the latter 

 there are but two in Europe, and though we have doubled the number 

 given by Wilson, we think that others will yet be discovered in the wild 

 western tracts of this continent. There exist imperfect accounts of two 

 or three species inhabiting the countries near the Rocky Mountains, one 

 of which is probably that here described, and othei-s may prove to be 

 some of the newly discovered Mexican species, one of which, the G-arrula 

 guhernatrix of Temminck, is so proudly beautiful. 



The Steller's Jay is more than twelve inches long. The bill measures 

 one inch and a half, is entire, and totally black ; the bristly feathers 

 over the nostrils are also wholly black. The feathers of the head are 

 greatly elongated, forming a large crest, more than two and a half 

 inches long, and, with the whole head and neck, entirely deep brownish 

 black, grayish on the throat ; the feathers each side of the front are 

 slightly tipped with bright and light azure, thus forming a dozen or more 

 of small dots on that part ; on the neck the brown becomes lighter, and 

 extends down on the back, occupying the scapulars as well as the inner 

 wing-coverts ; on the middle of the back the brown becomes somewhat 

 tinged with bluish, and blends gradually into a fine bright blue color, 

 covering the rump and the upper tail-coverts : all the inferior parts from 

 the neck, at the lower part of which the dusky color passes into blue, 

 are blue somewhat tinged with gray, which is the general color of the 

 base of the plumage. The wings are nearly six inches in length ; the 

 fourth, fifth, and sixth primaries being subequal and longest. All the 

 outer wing-coverts and the secondaries are blue, faintly crossed with 

 obsolete blackish lines ; the under wing-coverts are dusky ; the primaries 

 are dark dusky, and, with the exception of the outer ones, at tip are 

 edged or tinged with blue; on the inner vane the secondaries are 

 blackish, but on the outer they are deep glossy blue. The tail is five 

 inches and a half long, and but slightly rounded ; it is of a deep glossy 

 azure blue, more brilliant on the outer vanes of the feathers, the inner 

 being slightly tinged with dusky ; an indication of obliterated, trans- 

 verse, blackish lines, may be perceived in certain lights on almost all 

 the tail-feathers in our specimen, and we have no doubt that on others 

 they are more marked ; the shafts both of the quills and ta,il-feathers 

 are black. The tarsus is an inch and three-quarters long ; the femorals 



