BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 199 



parts, reported to be quite plentiful, and the Canada Jay called also Whisky 

 Jack and Moose-bird which breeds from Maine northward, is found here only as a 

 rare straggler in winter. Although of an omnivorous nature, these birds feed 

 chiefly on an animal diet. 



"Primaries ten ; the first short, usually about half as long as the second ; the four 

 outer sinuated on the inner edge. Nostrils concealed by narrow stiffened bristles 

 or bristly feathers directed forwards. Tarsi scutellate anteriorly, the sides undi- 

 vided (except sometimes below) and separated from anterior plates by a narrow 

 naked strip, sometimes filled up with small scales. Basal joint of middle toe united 

 for about half its length to each lateral one." 



SUBFAMILY GARRULIN^B. JAYS. 

 GENUS CYANOCITTA STRICKLAND. 

 Cyanocitta cristata (LiNN.). 



Blue Jay; Jay-bird. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 25). 



Head crested ; bill rather slender ; length about 12 inches ; extent about 17 ; bill 

 and legs black ; eyes brown ; crest and upper back a light purplish-blue ; wings and 

 tail bright blue ; lower parts whitish and grayish-white, crossed on lower throat by 

 a black collar which unites with black feathers on sides of head and crest ; narrow 

 frontal line and lores black. 



Habitat. Eastern North America to the plains, and from the Fur countries south 

 to Florida and eastern Texas. 



The Blue Jay is found in Pennsylvania during all seasons of the year, 

 but in the autumn and summer months this species is much more plen- 

 tiful than at other periods. This beautiful bird is an inhabitant chiefly 

 of forests. During- the breeding- season the Jays associate in pairs, but 

 in the late summer and autumn it is not unusual to find them in small 

 flocks. I have seen on several occasions as many as twenty -five of these 

 birds feeding- in beech, chestnut or cedar trees. Both sexes engage in 

 nest-building-, which, in 1 this latitude, is begun about the 20th of April. 

 A nest which I saw the birds building was completed in five days. The 

 nest, a strong bulky structure, composed chiefly of twigs and fine roots, 

 is placed commonly in a tree in the woods ; sometimes, though rarely 

 in this locality, nests are built in low bushes. The eggs, four to six in 

 number, mostly five, are greenish or brownish-gray, spotted with brown. 

 Length about 1.15 inches, width .84 of an inch. In Florida the Blue 

 Jay * nests some five or six weeks earlier than in this latitude, at least I 

 suppose this to be the case, as I have seen these birds collecting sticks, 

 etc., as early as the first week in March. The Blue Jay and also the 

 " Scrub Jay " (Aphelocoma floridana), are in bad repute among the 

 Florida farmers, from the fact that they (particularly the "Scrub Jay") 

 suck the eggs of chickens. 



Audubon writing of the Blue Jay says: 



* The Florida Blue Jay, a local race technically styled Cyanocitta cristata florincola. Is smaller and has 

 leas white on tips of secondary and tall feathers than C. cristata. 



