BLUE JAY. 



273 



know. They are supposed to indicate future joy or sorrow to the 

 wayfarer,*jaccording to the number he sees together, the idea being 

 thus expressed in popular rhyme : 



' ' One, mirth ; 

 Two, grief ; 

 Three, a wedding ; 

 Four, a death." 



UENUS CYANOCITTA STRICKLAND. 

 CYANOCITTA CRISTATA. (LINN.). 



197. Blue Jay. (477) 



Purplish-blue ; below, pale gray, whitening on the throat, belly and crissum ; 

 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 greater coverts, secondaries and tail 

 feathers, except the central, broadly tipped with pure white ; tail, much 

 rounded, the graduation over an inch. Length, 11-12 ; wing, 5 ; tail, 5f. 



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

 south to eastern Texas. 



Nest, in trees or bushes, built of sticks, lined with weeds, grasses and other 

 .soft material. 



Eggs, four or five, variable in color, usually clay color with brown spots. 

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