156 Mr. Elliott Coues on the History of 



At Fort Whipple, in Arizona, where our personal observations 

 were made, the bird may be considered a permanent resident : 

 though we did not observe it breeding in the immediate vicinity, 

 it nests) as we know from the circumstance of finding newly 

 fledged young in July) in the neighbouring and more elevated 

 San Francisco and Bill Williams Mountains. We were never 

 so fortunate as to discover its nest, and believe that its nidifi- 

 cation remains unknown. Like most of its tribe — in fact, like 

 most birds largely subsisting on varied animal and vegetable 

 food — it is not strictly migratory ; for it finds nourishment in 

 winter anywhere, except perhaps at its highest point of dis- 

 persion ; and a descent of a few thousand feet from mountain - 

 tops appears to answer the purpose of the southward journey 

 that migratory species perform, as far as food is concerned, 

 while its hardy nature enables it to endure the rigours of winter 

 in regions frequently snow-bound. 



We may safely check the conflicting testimony respecting this 

 bird's food (indeed we must do so) by simply crediting it with 

 the omnivorous nature that is a strong and nearly exception- 

 less trait of the family Corvida. Thus Dr. Kennerly says : — 

 " Its food appears to be exclusively reptiles ; " ^ "^ "^ the flocks 

 he saw * * * "constantly alighted on the ground, for the 

 purpose, as I [he] ascertained, of capturing lizards, which they 

 killed with great readiness ; '' and Mr. Cassin reasons, upon his 

 correspondent's accounts, that " it does not appear to be in any 

 considerable degree a fruit-eater, but is decidedly carnivorous and 

 almost rapacious ; " and further draws an analogy with the rep- 

 tilivorous Kingfishers {Todiramphus) . But this is going too far; 

 and we will hear the other side. Dr. Newberry saw the birds 

 " feeding on the berries of the cedar [Juniperus occidentalis) ;" and 

 one that he killed " had the oesophagus filled with the seeds of the 

 yellow pine." Our own testimony, emphatic and unreserved, 

 is to the same eff"ect. According to our two years' observations 

 the bird feeds principally upon juniper berries and pine seeds, 

 also upon acorns, and probably other small hard fruits ; and 

 during the winter, when they were particularly numerous at 

 Fort Whipple, they could not possibly have eaten reptiles ; for 

 no serpents, lizards, or frogs are abroad at that season. Truly 



