196 BLUE JAY. 



birds, said to be of the same species, either the former are very 

 erroneous, or the difference of plumage and habits in the latter 

 justify us in considering a great proportion of them to be really 

 distinct species. Be this however as it may, the Blue Jay ap- 

 pears to belong exclusively to North America. I cannot find 

 it mentioned by any writer or traveller among the birds of 

 Guiana, Brazil, or any other part of South America. It is 

 equally unknown in Africa. In Europe, and even in the east- 

 ern parts of Asia, it is never seen in its wild state. To ascer- 

 tain the exact limits of its native regions would be difficult. 

 These, it is highly probable, will be found to be bounded by 

 the extremities of the temperate zone. Dr. Latham has indeed 

 asserted, that the Blue Jay of America is not found farther north 

 than the town of Albany. * This, however, is a mistake. They 

 are common in the eastern states, and are mentioned by Dr. 

 Belknap in his enumeration of the birds of New Hampshire.! 

 They are also natives of Newfoundland. I myself have seen 

 them in Upper Canada. Blue Jays and Yellow-birds were found 

 by Mr. M'Kenzie, when on his journey across the continent, 

 at the head waters of the Unjigah, or Peace river, in N. lat. 

 54, W. long. 121, on the west side of the great range of Stony 

 mountains. Steller, who in 1741 accompanied captain Beh- 

 ring in his expedition for the discovery of the north-west coast 

 of America, and who wrote the journal of the voyage, relates, 

 that he himself went on shore near cape St. Elias, in N. lat. 

 58 28'. W. long. 141 46', according to his estimation, where 

 he observed several species of birds not known in Siberia; 

 and one, in particular, described by Catesby under the name 

 of the Blue Jay* || Mr. William Bartram informs me, that they 

 are numerous in the peninsula of Florida, and that he also found 

 them at Natchez, on the Mississippi. Captains Lewis and Clark, 

 and their intrepid companions, in their memorable expedition 

 across the continent of North America to the Pacific ocean, 



* Synopsis, vol. i, p. 387. t Hist. N. Hamp. vol. iii, p. 163. 



Voyage from Montreal, &c. p. 216, quarto, Lond. 1801. 

 j| See Steller's Journal apud Pallas. 



