COKVID.E — THE Clio \vs. 270 



sapling of tlie Douglas fir, on the borders of a dense f<>rest, and, some time 

 after, a ce'M)nd nest with youni,% in an elevated branch nf anotlier tir, on the 

 border of a rocky clilf. The first nest contained four eggs, nf a pale green, 

 marked witli small olive-brown spots, varied with others inclining to a violet 

 hue. The ]»arents tlew at liim with the utmost anger and agitation, abiiosi 

 deafening him with their cries ; and .ilthough he took only two of their eggs, 

 the next day he lounu they had forsaken their nest. Tiiis nest was bulky, 

 made of interlaced twigs and roots, with a stout layer of mud. and lined 

 with black rootlets. One of the e«:gs takeJi by Mr. Nuttall is in mv cabinet, 

 and is as he describes it, except that the obscure markings ot violet have 

 nearly faded out. It measures 1.20 inches in length, and .'.»(» in breadth, is 

 oval in shape, and a little more obtuse at one end than at the (»ther. 



This Jay was obtained by Steller at Xootka, on the west coast of Van- 

 couver Island, in latitude 50°. It was also found in abundance by Mr. Dall 

 at Sitka, in British Columbia, where a number of specimens were ol)tained 

 by Mr. Bischoff and by ^Ir. KUiot. 



Mr. J. K. Lord states that this Jay ever makes its ]iresence known by the 

 constant utterance of discordant screams. It is continually hopping from 

 bough to bough, darting down to catch an insect, ]MMlorming short, erratic 

 flights, and jerking up and down its crest of bright feathers. Its \un>y song 

 seems to be everywhere. It is the embodiment of restlessness, and, l)y dint 

 of sheer impudence, attracts attention even from the hunter. He adds that 

 it seemed fond of fre([uenting the haunts of man, and is always plentiful 

 near Indian lodges or white men's shanties. It is by no means epicurean 

 in taste, but readily devours anything, whether seeds or salmon, grasshop- 

 pers or venison. Its nest he found artfully concealed amidst the thick foli- 

 age of a young pine-tree. It was composed of moss, small twigs, lichens, 

 and fir fronds, and lined with deer's hair. The average number of eggs laid 

 aj)pears to be seven. 



Cyanura stelleri, var. firontalis, Ridgway. 



8IEBBA JAT. 



Cyanura stelhri, Auct. All reference to Steller's Jay as occurring in California, excepting 

 on the northern Coast Range, relate to this variety. 



Sp. Char. Head, neck, and dorsal rcfrion plnmboons-nmber. darker on tho head, and 

 posteriorly chanprinjr jrradually into tlio liirlit trrecnish-Mne of the rest of the body ; wings 

 and tail deep indiszo-blue, the tertials. secondaries, and tail ccnspieuously marked with 

 broad and rather distant bars of black ; primaries greenish liGrht-bliie, like the rump, 

 abdomen, etc. Whole forehead conspicuously streaked with blue (the streaks forming 

 two parallel series, where the feathers are not disarranged), and the crest strongly tinged 

 with blue. $ (53,G39, Carson City. Nevada, April 30, 18G8) : wing, 6.00; tail 6.00 ; 

 culmen, 1.25; depth of bill, .35; tarsus, 1.55; middle toe, .90; crest, 2.80. 9 (53.640, 

 Carson City, Nevada, April 30, 1868) : wing, 5.70 ; tail, 5.50. Y)dng with the blue of 



