Species VI. CORVUS CRISTATUS. 



BLUE JAY. 



[Plate I. Fig. 1.] 



Linn, Syst. i., p. 106, No. 8, ed. 10. — Gai-rulus canadensis coeruleus, Briss. ii., p. 

 55. — Pica glandaria cristata, Klein, p. 61, 3. — Le Geai bleu de VAmerigue Sep- 

 tentrionale, Buff, hi., p. 120. PI. Enl. 529. — Bhie Jay, Catesb. Car. i., 15. — 

 Edw^. 239.— Jrd. Zool. ii.. No. 138.— Lath. Syn. i., p. 386, 20.— Bartram, p. 

 290. 



This elegant bird, which, as far as I can learn, is peculiar to North 

 America, is distinguished as a kind of beau among the feathered tenants 

 of our woods, by the brilliancy of his dress ; and like most other cox- 

 combs, makes himself still more conspicuous by his loquacity, and the 

 oddness of his tones and gestures. The Jay measures eleven inches in 

 length ; the head is ornamented with a crest of light blue or purple 

 feathers, which he can elevate or depress at pleasure ; a narrow line of 

 black runs along the frontlet, rising on each side higher than the eye, 

 but not passing over it, as Catesby has represented, and as Pennant and 

 many others have described it ; back and upper part of the neck a fine 

 light purple, in which the blue predominates ; a collar of black proceed- 

 ing from the hind-head, passes with a graceful curve down each side of 

 the neck, to the upper part of the breast, where it forms a crescent ; 

 chin, cheeks, throat and belly, white, the three former slightly tinged 

 with blue ; greater wing coverts a rich blue ; exterior sides of the pri- 

 maries light blue, those of the secondaries a deep purple, except the 

 three feathers next the body, which are of a splendid light blue ; all 

 these, except the primaries, are beautifully barred with crescents of 

 black, and tipped with white ; the interior sides of the wing feathers are 

 dusky black ; tail long and cuneiform, composed of twelve feathers of a 

 glossy light blue, marked at half inches with transverse curves of black, 

 each feather being tipped with white, except the two middle ones, which 

 deepen into a dark purple at the extremities. Breast and sides under 

 the wings a dirty white, faintly stained with purple ; inside of the mouth, 

 the tongue, bill, legs, and claws, black ; iris of the eye hazel. 



The Blue Jay is an almost universal inhabitant of the woods, fre- 

 quenting the thickest settlements, as well as the deepest recesses of the 

 forest, where his squalling voice often alarms the deer, to the disap- 

 pointment and mortification of the hunter ; one of whom informed me, 

 that he made it a point, in summer, to kill every Jay he could meet 



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