CORVID^ — THE CROWS. 283 



"It would perhaps be not very far out of the way to consider Sections A 



Cyanocitta califomica. 



and B as representing in their general characters, respectively, the types 

 from which their subdivisions have sprung. 



A. Tail longer than wings. A superciliary stripe of whitish streaks ; jugular 

 and pectoral feathers faintly edged with bluish, posteriorly forming an indistinct 

 collar, interrupted medially. Ear-coverts dusky, except in var. woodhousei. 



a. Forehead and nasal tufts hoary white ; the superciliary stripe a continuous 

 wash of the same. Scapulars blue like the wings ; dorsal region (the inter- 

 scapulars) as light-colored as the lower parts. 



C. floridana. Back and lower parts pale ashy-brown ; lower tail- 

 coverts bright blue. Wing, 4.50 ; tail, 5.70; bill, 1.20 and .35; tarsus, 

 1.40 ; middle toe, .85. Wing-formula, 4, 5, 6, 7, 3, 8, 9, 2, 10 ; first, 

 1.80 shorter than longest. Graduation of tail, 1.50. Hah. Florida 

 (only). 

 h. Forehead and nasal tufts bright blue ; superciliary stripe composed of 

 narrow streaks ; scapulars ashy like the back ; back much darker than the 

 lower parts. 



C. californica. 



Lower tail-coverts bright blue, dorsal region not well-defined ashy; 

 auriculars bluish, beneath continuous pure ash. Superciliary streak 

 well defined. Wing, 5.15; tail, 6.00; bill, 1.35 and .30; tarsus, 

 1.40; middle toe, .85. Wing-formula, fourth, fifth, and sixth 

 equal ; 7, 3, 8, 9 ^ 2 ; first, 1.80 shorter than longest. Gradua- 

 tion of tail, .90. Hah. Rocky Mountains and Middle Province of 

 United States ....... var. woodhousei. 



Lower tail-coverts pure white ; dorsal region well-defined ashy ; 

 auriculars blackish ; beneath dull white, approaching ash on breast. 

 Superciliary streak indistinct. Wing, 5.65 ; tail, 6.00 ; bill, 1.20 

 and .35 ; tarsus, 1.42 ; middle toe, .90. Wing-formula, 5, 6, 7, 4, 

 8, 3, 9, 10^2; first, 2.20 shorter than longest. Graduation 

 of tail, .80. i7a6. Mexico (Orizaba ; City of Mexico) var. sumichrast i} 



1 Cyanocitta sumichrasti, Ridgway, Eep. U. S. Geol. Expl. 40th Par. All Mexican Cyano- 

 cittas with a whitisli superciliary streak, blue edgings to jugular feathers, etc., are to be referred 

 to tills strongly marked race. A very conspicuous character of this variety is the strong "hook" 

 to the upper mandible ; the tip beyond the notch being much elongated, or unusually "pro- 

 duced." In the collection is a specimen (60,058 9 > Mexico, A. Boucard) which we have re- 



