274 CROWS, JAYS, MAGPIES, ETC. 



Distribution. Resident in Canadian zone in British Columbia and the 

 northern Rocky Mountain region, south to the Wasatch Mountains, and 

 from Wyoming west to eastern Oregon and Washington. 



2? es t. As described by Ridgway, base of coarse fir sticks with mud 

 bowl lined with fine wiry roots, saddled on a horizontal branch, 15 feet 

 from the ground, containing 3 eggs, similar to those of stelleri. 



GENUS APHELOCOMA. 



General Characters. Head not crested, tarsus longer than middle toe 

 with claw. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



1. Tail shorter than wing. 



2. Tail 5.50 or less couchi, p. 276. 



2'. Tail more than 5.50 arizonae, p. 276. 



1 . Tail longer than wing. 



2. Back slaty gray. East of Sierra Nevada . . woodhouseii, p. 274. 

 2'. Back brown. 

 3. Sides of head blackish. 



4. Larger and lighter. Sierra Nevada to Pacific. 



californica, p. 275. 



4'. Smaller and darker. Southern coast district . obscura, p. 276. 

 3'. Sides of head blue. 



4. Upper parts, except back, bright blue. 



5. Chest broadly streaked with white . . . cyanotis, p. 274. 



5'. Chest obsoletely streaked with grayish . . texana, p. 275. 



4'. Upper parts, except back, dark purplish blue, insularis, p. 276. 



480. Aphelocoma woodhouseii (Baird). WOODHOUSE JAY. 



Upper parts dull blue except for slate gray back and scapulars ; under 

 parts gray except for blue tail and under tail coverts, and throat, which is 

 nhitish streaked with dark gray. Young : back darker than in young of 

 californica ; under parts dark gray instead of white. Length : 11.50-12.75, 

 wing 4.70-5.35, tail 5.20-6.20, bill .93.-!. 06. 



Distribution. Resident in Upper Sonoran zone from southeastern Ore- 

 gon south along the east side of the Sierra Nevada to northern Mexico, and 

 east to Montana, Colorado, and Texas. 



Nest. Found at Prescott, Arizona, a small, slight platform of sticks 

 lined with fine roots and horsehair, placed in the centre of a thick bush 

 about 5 feet from the ground. Eggs : 3 to 6, pale green, sparingly flecked 

 over the whole surface with irregular brown and lavender markings, 

 usually heaviest about the larger end. 



Food. Varied, including insects, acorns, and pine nuts. 



The habits of the Woodhouse jay are similar to those of the Cali- 

 fornia jay (see p. 275). 



480.1. Aphelocoma cyanotis Eidgw. BLUE-EARED JAY. 



Head, wings, and tail, bright blue ; back dark slaty broivn, washed with 

 blue ; sides of head blue like top of head ; under parts light grayish blue, 

 broadly streaked with white ; lower part of breast brownish gray, changing 

 to white on belly. Length (skin) : 11.50, wing 5.40, tail 5.70, exposed cul- 

 men .95. 



Distribution. Mexican tablelands north casually to Sutton County, 

 Texas. 



