288 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Cyanocitta californica, Strickland. 



CALIFORNIA JAY. 



Garrulus californicus, Vigors, Zool. Beechey's Voyage, 1839, 21, pi. v. Cijanodtta cali- 

 fornica, Strickland, Ann. Mag. XV, 1845, 342. — Gambel, J. A. N. Sc. 2d series, 

 I, Dec. 1847, 45. — Bon. Conspectus, 1850, 377. — Newberry, P. E. R. Rep. VI, 

 IV, 1857, 85. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 584. — Heerm. X, S, 55. —Cooper, 

 Orn. Cal. I, 1870, 302. Cyanocorax californicus, Gambel, Pr. A. N. Sc. Ill, Ap. 

 1847, 201. Aplielocoma californica, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 221. — Bon. Comptes 

 Eendus, XXXVII, Nov. 1853, 828 ; Notes Orn. Delattre. Corvus ultramarinus, AuD. 

 Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 456, pi. ccclxii (not Garrulus ^dtramarinus, Bon.). Garrulus 

 ultramarinus, AuD. Syn; 1839, 154. — Ib. Birds Am. IV, 1842, 115, pi. ccxxxii (not 

 of Bonaparte). Cyanocitta suijcrciliosa, Strickland, Ann. Mag. XV, 1845, 260 

 (type of genus Cyanocitta). " Corvus palliatus, Drapiez," Bonap. 



Sp. Char. Width of bill at base of lower mandible rather more than half the length 

 of CLilmen. Lateral tail-feathers about an inch the shortest. Tail an inch longer than 

 the wings. General color above, including the surface of the wings, bright blue, without 

 bars. The whole back, including to some extent the scapulars, brownish-ash, very faintly- 

 glossed with blue in the adult. A streaked white superciliary line from a little anterior 

 to the eye as far as the occiput. Sides of the head and neck blue, the region around and 

 behind the eye, including lores and most of ear-coverts, black. The blue of the sides of 

 the neck extends across the forepart of the breast, forming a crescent, interrupted in the 

 middle. The under parts anterior to the crescent white, the feathers edged with blue ; 

 behind it dull white ; the sides tinged with brown. Length, 12.25 ; wing, 5.00 ; tail, 

 6.15 ; tarsus, 1.55. (No. 2,841.) 



Hab. Pacific Province from Columbia River to Cape St. Lucas ; Carson City, Nevada 

 (Ridgway). 



Specimens from Cape St. Lucas are rather smaller and perhaps whiter 

 beneath than elsewhere ; those from the eastern slope of Sierra Nevada are 



very large. Upon a careful 

 comparison, we find that the 

 supposed specimens of C. cali- 

 fornica in the Smithsonian col- 

 lection from Mexico (Orizaba, 

 etc.) constitute a quite differ- 

 ent form, characterized by very 

 indistinct superciliary white 

 and bluish edges to throat 

 and jugular feathers, and es- 

 pecially by the lengthened 

 wings, which average 5.75 

 inches instead of 5.00. In 

 general respects the resem- 

 blance, as suggested by Sclater, is to californica, and not to woodhousei. 

 The dorsal patch is very distinct. 



One Mexican specimen (8,465 from Eeal del Monte ?), presented by Mr. 



Cyanocitta californica. 



