CUKV iU.K - THE CltUW 8. 



'2\)'J 



Perisoraus canadensis, 1*<»nap. 



CANADA JAY; WHISKET-JACK ; M008E-BIRD. 



Corvu.t canndeiiHis, Linn. Syst. Nut. 1, 17^50, 158. — Foiistki:, Tliil. Ti;m>. I. XII, 1772, 

 382. — Wii>oN, Am. Orn. III. isil, y;j, pi. xxi. — Hon. nbs. l^>>4, No. 42. -Aid. 

 Orn. \Vk'<^. II, IM.'M, M ; V, 1>;{S», 2<tS, pi. evil, (,'itrrulan anhtt/rn.^iM, B<»N. (Sii;;;,'ii>, 

 1S;]U) .Syn. 182S, r.8. — Swain.m.n, F. noi.Am. II. IS-'Jl, 2S»'*. - NriTAii., Man. 

 I, 1H32, 2;i2. — Aru. Syii. Ks:i9, 1.'.:.. In. iJii.ls Am. IV', 1S42, 121, pi. r.x.xxiv. 

 iJi/snniif/tid cii mill, iisi.H, Swxisstts, K. Hor.-Am. II, IS^H, Ap|H-iiilix. /'' risvri us nnut- 

 (ic,i,si\ Hon. List, 1M3S. — In. Conspctus, l.s'iO, U?'). - C.vn. .Miis. Htiii. IS'.l, 21!>. 

 — NEWiiF.KUY, Ui'\K V. II. \l. Surv, VI, iv. is:,7, 85. — IUiiii», UinU X. Am. 1858, 

 590. — C'orE.s P. A. N. S. 18t>l, 22r). - Samuel-s 3iW. Onrrulus f,in,->is, Vikillot, 

 Nouv. Diet. XII, 1817, 47t». Pica, nurhalh, Waoi.eu, Syst. Av. Ks27 (Tini N«). 14). 

 Oorndus travlnirrhinulnis, Swainsun, F. l»or.-Am. II, 1831, 29(i, pi. iv (young). 

 ** Coracias mcxiat litis, Temmin* K," (iKAY. 



Sr. CnAK. Tail !/railu:it»Ml ; lateral leatlu'is al)oiit one inch shortest. Winers a little 

 short«'r tiian the tail. Head and neck 

 and forepart of breast white. A 

 rather sooty plnniI>«>on.s nuchal patch, 

 becoming' darker behind, lioin the 

 middle of the cap to the back, from 

 whi(-h it is .<?eparatod by an inter- 

 rupted wliitish collar. Ifest of npper 

 parts dark ashy-plumbeous; the outer 

 primaries mar<,'ined, tlit> secondaries, 

 tertials, and tail-feathers obscurely 

 tipped with white. Jjeneath smoky- 

 pray. Crissum whitish. Bill and feet 

 black. Lenirth, 10.70 ; winj,', 5.75 ; 

 tail. 0.00; tarsus, 1.40. 



IIab. Eastern Northern America 

 into the northern part of United 

 States ; British America to Upper 

 Yukon. 



Periiortiis cunadfnsts. 



The yoinii,' of this .species are everywhere of a dull s<joty-])liiiubeoiis, 

 lighter on the middle of the belly, and more l)luish-phmi))eoiis on the wings 

 and tail. With increasing age the region about the base of the bill whitens. 



There is a decided bluish cast to the plumbeous of tlie tail. The white 

 frontal i>atch has a convex posteri r outline, and is abruptly defined against 

 the blackish of the occiput and nape. 



All specimens from Canada and the Northeastern United States, to the 

 interior of British America, are referrible to this variety ; in the Yukon 

 Territory specimens show a tendency to var. obscurus of the northwest coast, 

 having a narrower whitish frontal patch. 



Habits. The Canada Jay was procured at Fort Simpson by Mr. Ken- 

 nicott in August, September, and December, and at tlie same point by Mr. 

 Ross in ^larch and April, in the years 1860 and 1861. It was found breed- 



