DESCRIPTIVE LIST 213 



Genus Cyanocitta (Strickl.) 



198. Cyanocitta cristata cristata (Linn.}. BLUE JAY. 



Description. Blue above, white below, collar black. Wings and tail blue, barred with blackish. 

 Head crested. Outer tail-feathers and secondaries tipped with white. Measurements of 23 

 Blue Jays from Raleigh: L., 10.50-11.75; W., 4.85-5.30; T., 4.75-5.40. 



Range. Eastern North America, east of the Great Plains. 



Range in North Carolina. Whole State at all seasons. 



The Blue Jay, more generally known in North Carolina as "Jaybird," is com- 

 mon in all parts of the State, but perhaps more plentiful in the mountains, where 

 in many towns as, for instance, Hendersonville and Highlands it is an abundant 

 bird in the gardens and groves. 



The Blue Jay breeds in April and May, building its nest of twigs, leaves, roots, 

 rags, cotton, wool, or other materials. It is a large and not over-tidy structure, 

 placed often in small trees, but more frequently in large ones. The eggs are four 

 or five in number, olive-brown in color, thickly spotted with darker shades; and 

 measure about 1.10 x .85. 



The harsh screaming notes of this bird are well known to all. It has a wide 

 range of calls, one of which strongly suggests the scream of the Red-shouldered 

 Hawk. 



It enjoys a wide variety of food, which includes acorns, berries, and the yoilng 

 of other birds. 



Genus Corvus (Linn.) 



Plumage entirely black in our species. Wings long and pointed, much longer 

 than the tail. Birds of large size, the largest of our perching birds, the wing always 

 more than nine inches. 



The crows are well known as shy, wary birds of apparently unusual intelligence. 



KEY TO SPECIES 



1. Feathers of throat lanceolate, distinct from one another. Size large, wing more than 15 inches. 

 Northern Raven. 



1. Feathers of throat short, the webs blended. Size smaller, wing less than 13 inches. See 2. 



2. Gloss of plumage purplish violet. Wing 12 or more. Whole State. Crow. 



2. Gloss of plumage green and violet. Wing 11^ or less. Coastwise only. Fish Crow. 



199. Corvus corax principalis (Ridgw.}. NORTHERN RAVEN. 



Description. Plumage wholly black. Feathers of throat narrow and pointed. L., 24.00; 

 W., 17.00; T., 9.75. 



Range in United States. Eastern United States, mainly in 'the mountains from New England 

 to northern Georgia. Another subspecies occurs west of the Mississippi. 



Range in North Carolina. Mountainous parts of the State. 



Ravens in this State are now confined to the mountains, where they have been 

 recorded at various places. In Buncombe County Cairns said it was common in 

 1891 and bred on Craggy Mountain. On Roan Mountain birds were noted near 

 the summit by Rhoads in 1895. At Tryon one was seen by Loomis, February 15, 

 1907. On Grandfather Mountain one was seen by Metcalf, September 10, 1908, and 



