CANADA JAY. 141 



notwithstanding all which ingenuity and good qualities, they are, as we 

 are informed, detested by the natives."* 



The only individuals of this species that I ever met with in the United 

 States were on the shores of the Mohawk, a short way above the Little 

 Falls. It was about the last of November^ and the ground deeply 

 covered with snow. There were three or four in company, or within a 

 small distance of each other, flitting leisurely along the road side, keep- 

 ing up a kind of low chattering with one another, and seemed nowise 

 apprehensive at my approach. I soon secured the whole ; from the 

 best of which the drawing in the plate was carefully made. On dissec- 

 tion I found their stomachs occupied by a few spiders and the aureliae 

 of some insects. I could perceive no difference between the plumage of 

 the male and female. 



The Canada Jay is eleven inches long, and fifteen in extent ; back, 

 wings, and tail, a dull leaden gray, the latter long, cuneiform, and tipped 

 with dirty white ; interior vanes of the wings brown, and also partly 

 tipped with white ; plumage of the head loose and prominent ; the fore- 

 headland feathers covering the nostril, as well as the whole lower parts, 

 a dirty brownish white, which also passes round the bottom of the neck 

 like a collar ; part of the crown and hind-head black ; bill and legs also 

 black ; eye dark hazel. The whole plumage on the back is long, loose, 

 unwebbed, and in great abundance, as if to protect it from the rigors 

 of the regions it inhabits. 



A gentleman of observation, who resided for many years near the 

 North river, not far from Hudson, in the state of New York, informs 

 me, that he has particularly observed this bird to arrive there at the 

 commencement of cold weather — he has often remarked its solitary 

 habits ; it seemed to seek the most unfrequented shaded retreats, keep- 

 ing almost constantly on the ground, yet would sometimes, towards 

 evening, mount to the top of a small tree, and repeat its notes (which 

 a little resemble those of the Baltimore) for a quarter of an hour to- 

 gether ; and this it generally did immediately before snow, or falling 

 weather. 



* Hearne's Journey^ p. 405. 



