DUSKY, GRAY, AND SLATE-COLORED 327 
tree, the mother gave them a lesson in catching insects. 
She brought a small butterfly and lit a little above and 
in front of one of the young. She fluttered out toward 
him holding the insect in her bill, then she released the 
latter so that it flew lamely down just in front of the 
eager baby. He almost lost his balance in his swift 
darting down after it, and was obliged to alight upon a 
lower perch to eat it, instead of returning in true fly- 
catcher fashion to the one just left. This did not suit 
his fastidious drillmaster, whether because of the low 
perch or lack of obedience to rules is unknown. She 
fluttered, scolded, and coaxed; but he finished his meal, 
shut his eyes tightly after the manner of nestlings, and 
rested where he was. Later on she had persuaded him 
to come up higher, and the lesson was repeated with 
variations at intervals all day. Three days after this he 
was catching flies for himself, although still following 
the mother about and begging with quivering wings for 
the larger insects he saw her seize, and too often getting 
them. 
485. OREGON JAY. — Perisoreus obscurus. 
Famity : The Crows, Jays, Magpies, ete. 
Length: 9.50-11.00. 
Adults: Forehead and nasal tufts white ; top of head and back of neck 
sooty black ; back, scapulars, wings, and tail brownish gray ; tail 
slightly tipped with white ; feathers with white shaft-streaks ; under 
parts white. 
Young: Dull sooty-brown, darkest on head ; under parts brownish. 
Geographical Distribution : Northern California, Oregon, and Washing- 
ton to British Columbia. 
