288 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Qyanocitta califomica, Strickland. 



CALIFOBNIA JAT. 



Garni. his cali/oDiirns, ViooRs, ZoiJl. Bci'chey's Voyage, 183!», 21, pi. v. Cijanncitta cnli- 

 fornic't, SriMCKLAND, Ann. Mag. XV, 1845, 342. — Gambel, J. A. N. Sc. 2(1 series, 

 I, Dt'c. 1^47, 4.'). — lioN. Conspoetus, 1850, 377. — Nkwbekry, P. K. U. Kep. VI, 

 IV, 1857, 85. — Baiud, Birds N. Am. 1858, 584. — Heeiim. X, .S", 55. — Coopek, 

 Orn. Cal. I, 1870, 3('2. Ci/fiiwcornx californicus, Gamrel, Pr. A. N. Sc. Ill, Ap. 

 1847, 201. Aph-hM-nma canforni.ca, Cabanis, Mils. Hein. 1851, 221. — Bon. Coniptes 

 Rt'iidus, XXXVII, Nov. 1853, 828 ; Notes Orn. Delattre. Corvus ultraviarinns, A\'l>. 

 Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 456, pi. ccolxii (not Garrulus ulframarinus, BoN.). Garruhis 

 idfrnmarinus, AUD. Syn. 1839, 154. — Ib. Birds Am. IV, 18*2, 115, pi. ccxxxii (not 

 of Bonaparte). C'l/anocttta supcrciliom, Strickland, Ann. Mag. XV, 1845, 200 

 (type of genus Cyanocitla). '* Corvus jHtlliaius, Drapiez," Boxap. 



Sp. Char. Width of bill at base of lower mandible rather more than half the lencrth 

 of culmen. Lateral tail-lVathers about an inch the shortest. Tail an inch longer than 

 the wings. General color above, including the surface of the wings, bright blue, without 

 bars. The wlu)le back, including to some »\xtent the scapulars, brownish-ash, very faintly 

 glossed with blue in the adult. A streaked white superciliary line from a little anterior 

 to the eye as far as the occiput. Sides of the head and neck blue, the region around and 

 b(^hind the eye, including lores and most of ear-coverts, black. The blue of the sides of 

 the neck extends across the forepart of the breast, forming a crescent, interrupted in the 

 middle. The under parts anterior to the crescent white, the feathers edged with blue ; 

 behind it dull white ; the sides tinged with brown. Length, 12.25 ; wing, 5.00 ; tail, 

 6.15: tarsus, 1.55. (Xo. 2,841.) 



IIab. Pacific Province from Columbia River to Cape St. Lucas ; Carson City, Nevada 



(RiDGWAV). 



Specimens from Cape St. Lucas are rather smaller and perhaps whiter 

 beneath than elsewhere ; those from the eastern slope of Sierra Nevada are 



very large. Upon a careful 

 comparison, we find that the 

 supposed specimens of C. cali- 

 fornka in the Smithsonian col- 

 lection from Mexico (Orizaba, 

 etc.) constitute a (uiite difter- 

 ent form, characterized by very 

 indistinct superciliary white 

 and bluish edges to tliroat 

 and jugular feathers, and es- 

 pecially by the lengthened 

 wings, which average 5.75 

 inches instead of 5.00. In 

 general respects the resem- 

 blance, as Rup^ested by Sclater, is to califomica, and not to woodhonsei. 

 The dorsal patch is very distinct. 



One Mexican specimen (8,465 froin Real del Monte ?), j^resented by Mr. 



Cyanorittn califomica. 



