300 NUKTII AMKRICAN HIKDS. 



iivj;, in ^lav at Anderson Kiver ?'oit \)y Mr. MacFarlano. It was also pro- 

 cuii'd at Wiy^ Island l>y Mr. IJeiil, at Niilato and TnalakU'et l>v Mr. Dall, at 

 St. Micliat'l's l»v Colonel IJulkley, at Fort Kenai by UiscliotV, and at Fort Jlao 

 by Mr. Clarke. From tlie memoranda of Mr. MaeFarlane, we have valnable 

 information in rejrard to the nestinij and lireedini,' habits of this species. May 

 1*4, at Fort Anderson, an Indian hid diseovere«l a nest of this ,Jay. It was 

 built in a tree, was composed of hay and feathers, and contained, with two 

 youn;4 birds a few days ohl, an egi^ tliat was perfectly fresh. This binl, Mr. 

 ^huFarlane states, is tolerably numerous in that ipiarter. During the severe 

 cold of winter it is not (piite so common as at other seascms. It is by no 

 means a ditticult bird to shoot, as it will always venture into close ; r<»x- 

 imitv to man. Flesli or fish are certain to attract nund)ers of them, .». 

 thev also cause ureat annoyance to the marten-lnmter, by eatin*4 the bait 

 placed in the trai)S used for ca])turing those animals. None of this species 

 were observed on the Arctic coast, nor east of llorton IJiver, Fort Anderson 

 being the most northern point where ^Ir. MaeFarlane saw any, iu his jour- 

 nevs across the barren grounds. 



Other nests found in the same ngion were usually built in s]>ruce-trees, 

 on branches near the trunk, well concealed from \ iew, and about ten feet 

 Ironi the gi-ound. They were constructetl of hay and feathers, sup])orted 

 underneath bv a few willow sticks laid crosswise. 



Mr. l>all characterizes this sj)ecies as a very bold and familiar bird, that 

 will freiiuently Hy down and steal away his dinner from some hungry dog, 

 if he is not on the alert, or devour the ffsh hung up in camp by the Indians 

 to dry. They breed very eaily, and occupy the same nest year after year. 

 Th(^ nest is ver\' large, and composed entirely of soft materials, moss, hair, 

 and the like. On the 20tli of A]>ril, ^Ir. Dall received a nest of this Jay 

 containin*^ four half-fled«4ed young, so that thev nnist lav in March. The 

 bird was abundant everywhere on the Yukon Kiver. 



These birds are known throuij;hout the fur c(juntries by the name of 

 Whiskey-Jack, not from any supposed predilection for that beverage, but 

 probably, as Mr. Kennicott has suggested, from a corruption of the Indian 

 name for these birds, Wiss-ka-chon, which has been contorted into Whiskey- 

 .Fohn and thence into Whiskey-Jack, ^lichardson observed these birds from 

 Canada to the fur countries as far as latitude ()!)°. Throu^diout that region 

 it is a constant attendant at the fur-posts and fishing-stations, and becomes 

 so tame in the winter as to feed from the hand. Yet it is impatient of con- 

 finement, and soon i)ines away if dei)rived of its liberty. Its yoice is said to 

 l>e ]>laintive and sipieaking, though it occasionally makes a low chattering. 

 It hoards l»erries, ])ieces of meat, etc., in hollow trees, or between layers of 

 bark, 1)y which it is enabled to feed its young while the ground is still 

 coyered with snow. 



Dr. XewiH'rry found this Jay as far to the south, in California, as the 

 upper end of the Sacramento Yalley, in latitude 4if. The fact that the 



