282 NOUTH AMERICAN lUUnS. 



lir-tlue (HI the eilg(! of .1 wood. It was aaddled on a horizontal branch 

 rtl)oiit tilteeii feet from the ground, and contained six ejj;gs. The base of the 

 nest was composed of coarse strong sticks, ni(h'ly put togc^tlier. Ui)on this 

 was c(mstru('te(l a solid, firm }>lastering of mud of a uniform concave sliape, 

 lined with line wirv roots. The external diameter is al)out nine iiiclies, and 

 the height of the nest four. The interior is five inelies in diameter, and three 

 in depth. 



Tlie species was first descril)ed by Professor Baird, from specimens 

 obtained bv Dr. Kennerlv, who writes that he first saw this bird amom; 

 the lofty pines of the Sierra Madre in November, ISr).'! Leaving that 

 range, he did not meet with it again until his party crossed the Aztec 

 ^lountains, in January, 1854, where it was less abundant than when first 

 met with. It was, for the most part, found among the cedars on the high 

 grcuiiids, though occasionally seen among the clumps of large pines that 

 were scattered along the valley. The party did not meet with it again. 



Dr. Cones found this species a common and a resident bird in Arizona. 

 It was observed to be almost exclusively an inliabitant of jtine woods, and was 

 generally to be met with only in small companies, never congregating in the 

 manner of Woodhouse'3 Jay. He describes it as very shy, vigilant, noisy, 

 and tyrannical. 



Tlie eggs of C. mncrolopha measure 1.30 inches in length and .91 in breadth. 

 Their ground-color is a light sea-green. They are somewdiat sparingly 

 spotted with fine markings of dark olive-brown, and lighter cloudings of a 

 pur})lisli or violet brown. They are oblong oval in shape, obtuse at either 

 end, but more ta])ering at one end. They appear to be a little larger than 

 the eggs of stdUri, and the ground-color is brighter, and the markings deeper 

 and more of an olive hue. 



Genus C7ANOCITTA, Strickland. 



Ciinnocitta, Strickland, Annals and Mag. N. H. XV, 1845, 260. (Type, Gamihia call- 



fvniiciis, Vicoiis. ) 

 Aphelocoma, C'abanis, Mus. Hcin. 1851, 221. (Same type.) 



CiiAR. Head without crest. Wiiiirs and tail blue, without any bands. Back usually 

 with a gray patch, diflerent from the head. Bill about as broad as higii at the base, and 

 tlie cidiiK'U a little short(»r than the head. Nostrils larcre, nearly circular, and conceaU-d. 

 Tail nearly cfpial to the wings, lengthened, graduated, or else shorter and nearly even. 



This genus is readily distinguished from the preceding by the entire 

 absence of crest and of black bars on the blue of wings and tail. The 

 species and races hitherto described will be found detailed in the accompa- 

 nying synopsis. The characters indicated above are of no very great generic 

 value, but as the group is a very natural one it will be as well to retain it. 

 As in Cifanura, the species are peculiar to the United States and Mexico, 

 one indeed being apparently confined to the Peninsula of Florida. 



