BLUE JAY. 



273 



know. They are supposerl U) iiulicate future joy or sorrow to the 

 wayfarer/' .according to the number he sees together, the idea being 

 thus expressed in po})ular rhyme : 



' ' One, mirth ; 

 Two, grief ; 

 Three, a wechling : 

 Four, a death." 



Genus CYANOCITTA Strickland. 

 CYANOCITTA CRI8TATA. (Linn.). 



19; 



Blue Jay. (+77 



Piuplisli-bhie ; l)ek>w, pale gray, whitening on the throat, belly andcrissum; 

 a'black collar across the lower throat and up the sides of the neck and head 

 behind the crest, and a black frontlet bordered with whitish ; wings and tail, 

 pure rich blue, with black bars, the greatei- coverts, secondaries and tail 

 feathers, except the central, broadly tipped M'ith pure white ; tail, much 

 rounded, the giaduatioa over an inch. Length, 11-12 ; wing, 5J ; tail, 5|. 



Hab. — Eastern North America to the Plains, and from the fur countries 

 south to eastern Texas. 



Nest, in trees or l)ushe.s, Imilt of sticks, lined with weeds, grasses and other 

 soft material. 



Eggs, four or five, varial>le in color, usually clay color with l)rown spots. 



18 



