the Blue Crow of America. 153 



Rep. vi. pt. iv. 1857, 83 ; Baird, ibid. ix. 1858, 574 ; Kennerly, 

 ibid. X. 1859, Birds, 32 ; Coues, Pr. A. N. S. Phil. 1866, 91 j 

 Cooper, B. Cal. 1871, 292. 



Psilorhinus cyanocephalus, Gray. 



Nucifraga [Gymnokitta) cyanocephala, Gray, Hand-list, ii. 

 1870, 10. 



Cyanocorax cassini, McCall, Pr. A. N. S. Phil. v. 1851, 216. 

 " Cymioceplialus wiedi, Bp." Gray, H.-list, ii. p. 10*. 

 Generically distinguished by the combination of an ordinary 

 corvine form (pointed wing longer than nearly even tail, and 

 tarsus longer than medius digit) with the usual garruline colour 

 (blue), one character uncommon in either subfamily (complete 

 nakedness of nostrils), and a particular shape of bill (nearly as 

 in certain Icteridse) ; standing next to Picicorvus, related by this 

 and by Nucifraga to the true Crows, and to the Jays by Psilo- 

 rhinus. 



Dull blue, nearly uniform, but much brighter on the head, 



paler on the abdomen ; chin and throat streaked with whitish ; 



remiges internally fuscous ; bill and feet black ; iris brown. 



c?, 11-12 inches long; extent of wings 16-5-19'5 ; wing 



5'5-6*0; tail 4-0-4*5 ; bill (along culmen) about 1*33; tarsus 



(in front) about 1-66; medius digit (with claw) about 1'33. 



S similar, but usually duller in colour, and smaller; length 



10'5-11'5 ; extent 15-17, &c. Newly fledged birds are 



commonly smaller still, and show little blue, being mostly 



dusky grey. Independently of seasonal, sexual, or other definite 



conditions, there is a great difference in the purity and intensity 



of the blue ; that of the head is sometimes sharply contrasted 



with the paler shade of the back, and sometimes fades insensibly 



into the latter. The whitish gular streaks are sometimes faintly 



indicated ; sometimes they are very strong, and even extend on 



the breast. The abdomen is frequently greyish white, with 



barely a shade of blue. The remiges wear from fuscous to grey. 



This rather remarkable type appears to have been first noticed 



in 1841 ; and the brief synonymy it has since acquired results 



more from different interpretation of rules of nomenclature than 



* [At Dr. Coues's request we have searched for this reference, but in 

 vain. Mr. Gray gives its date as 1842. — Ed.] 



