CORVID.E — THE CROWS. 



299 



Perisoreus canadensis, Bonap. 



CANADA JAY; WHISKEY-JACK; MOOSE-BIRD. 



Corvus canadensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 158. — Forster, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 

 382. —Wilson, Am. Orn. Ill, 1811, 33, pi. xxi. — Bon. Obs. 1824, No. 42. — Aud. 

 Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 53 ; V, 1839, 208, pi. cvii. Garrulus canadensis, Bon. (Saggio, 

 1831?) Syn. 1828, 58. — Swainson, F. Bor.-Am. II, 1831, 295. — Nuttall, Man. 

 I, 1832, 232. —Aud. Syn, 1839, 155. — Ib. Birds Am. IV, 1842, 121, pi. ccxxxiv. 

 Dysornithia canadensis, Swainson, F. Bor.-Am. II, 1831, Appendix. Perisoreus cana- 

 densis, Bon. List, 1838. — Ib. Conspectus, 1850, 375. — Cab. Mus. Hein. 1851, 219. 

 — Newberry, Rep. P. R. R. Surv. VI, iv, 1857, 85. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 

 590. — CouES, P. A. N. S. 1861, 226. — Samuels, 366. GarruUs fuseus, Vieillot, 

 Nouv. Diet. XII, 1817, 479. Pica nuchalis, Wagler, Syst. Av. 1827 (Pica No. 14). 

 Garrulus trachyrrhynchus, Swainson, F. Bor.-Am. II, 1831, 296, pi. Iv (young). 

 ^^ Coracias mexicanus, Temminck," Gray. 



Sp. Char. Tail graduated ; lateral feathers about one inch shortest, 

 shorter than the tail. Head and neck 

 and forepart of breast white. A 

 rather sooty plumbeous nuchal patch, 

 becoming darker behind, from the 

 middle of the cap to the back, from 

 which it is separated by an inter- 

 rupted whitish collar. Rest of upper 

 parts dark ashy-plumbeous ; the outer 

 primaries margined, the secondaries, 

 tertials, and tail-feathers obscurely 

 tipped with white. Beneath smoky- 

 gray. Crissum whitish. Bill and feet 

 black. Length, 10.70 ; wing, 5.75 ; 

 tail, 6.00; tarsus, 1.40. 



Has. Eastern Northern America 

 into the northern part of United ^^ 

 States ; British America to Upper = "" 



Yukon. Pertsoreu^ canac/eniis. 



Wine's a little 



The young of this species are everywhere of a dull sooty-plumbeous, 

 lighter on the middle of the belly, and more bluish-plumbeous on the wings 

 and tail. With increasing age the region about the base of the bill whitens. 



There is a decided bluish cast to the plumbeous of the tail. The white 

 frontal patch has a convex posterior outline, and is abruptly defined against 

 the blackish of the occijxit and nape. 



All specimens from Canada and the Northeastern United States, to the 

 interior of British America, are referrible to this variety ; in the Yukon 

 Territory specimens show a tendency to var. obscurus of the northwest coast, 

 having a narrower whitish frontal patch. 



Habits. The Canada Jay was procured at Fort Simpson by Mr. Ken- 

 nicott in August, September, and December, and at the same point by Mr. 

 Eoss in March and April, in the years 1860 and 1861. It was found breed- 



