CORVID.K — THE CROWS. 277 



thoroughly that two or throe yoiu's afterwards not a worm was to be seen 

 in that neighl)orh(»nl ; and mure recently he has searched for it in vain, in 

 ordr to rear cabinet specimens of the moth. 



'J lie Jay builds a strong coarse nest in the branch of some i'orest or or- 

 chard tree, or even in a low bii.sli. It is formed of twigs rudely but strongly 

 interwoven, and is lined with dark librous roots. The eggs are usually live, 

 and rarely six in number. 



The eggs of tliis species are usually of a rounded-oval shape, oljtuse, and 

 of very e(|ual size at either end. Their ground-color is a browuisli-olive, 

 varying in depth, and occasit>nally an olive-drab. They are sparingly spotted 

 with darker olive-browu. In size they vary from 1.05 to 1.2U inches in 

 length, and in breadtli from .82 to .88 of an inch. Their average size is 

 about 1.15 by .86 of an inch. 



Cyanura stelleri, Swainson. 



STELLEB'S MT. 



Corvus stclkri, P.MrLix, Syst. Xat. 1, 17SS, 870. — Lath. Ind. Orn. 1, 1790, 158.— 

 P.VLL.v.s Zoog. Hosso-As. I, IMl, y!);j. — liiix.w. Zool. Jour. Ill, 1827, •»!>. — In. 

 Suppl. Syn. 1828, 433.-^11). Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 453, pi. ccelxii. Gamihis 

 skllrri, ViKiLl-oT, Diet. .\'I1, 1817, 4M. — Bona)'. Am. Orn. II, 1828, 44, pi. xiii. — 

 Nl-TTALi., Man. 1, 1832, 22!». — All). Syn. 1830, 154. -In. Birds Am. IV, 1842, 107, 

 pi. cox.xx (not of Swainson, K. Bor. -Am. fK Cijiniiindi sirllcri, Swain.son, F. Bor.- 

 Am. II, 1831, 4!),"), App. I'im slrUn-i, V.'aiii.ku, Syst. Av. 1827, ricii, Xo. 10. 

 C'l/nnoconu' slclhri, BoN. List, 1838. FlNscii, Alili. Xat. Ill, 1872, 40 (Alaska). 

 Cynmcitld slcUcri, V.\n. Mus. Hoin. 1851, 221. Nr.wniatRY, P. R. R. Rep. VI, iv, 

 1857, 85. Cijanoijamtlus strUcri, Bcinat. Conspectus, 1850, 377. Slrlhr's Croir, Pkn- 

 nant, Arctic Zoid. II, Sp. 139. LArii. Syn. 1, 3S7. (Jiidinirn x. I'aiiii), Birds N. 

 Am. 1858, 581 (in part). Lonn, Pr. R. A. Inst. IV, 122 vBriti.sli <'oluml>ia ; nest). 

 — Dai.i, & Bannistkh, Tr. Chic. Ac. 1, 18G9, 486 (Alaska). —Cuul'Kii, Orn. Cal. 1, 

 1870, 298 (in i)art). 



Sp. Char. Cro,«t about one third hiiifror than the bill. Fifth quill longest; .«eponil 

 nboul oqnal to the .secondary (|uill.«. Tail jrradiiatod ; lateral I'eather.s about .70 of an 

 inch .■"hortest. Head and neck all round, and forepart of breast, dark lirownish-blaek. 

 Back and lesser winfr-eoverts blaekish-hrown, the scapulars glossed witii l)luc. I'nder 

 parts, rump, tail-eoverts, and wings greenish-bluo ; exposed surfaces of lesser quills dark 

 indigo-blue ; teitials and ends of t.iil-feather.s rather obsoletely banded with black. 

 Feathers of the forehead streaked with greenish-blue. Length, about i;i.OO; wing, o.S.'); 

 tail, r)..8o; tarsu.s, ].ir, (1,021). 



TlAn. Paeilie coast of North America, from the Columbia River to Sitka; east to St. 

 Mai y's Mission, Rocky Mountains. 



Habits. Dr. Suckley regarded Steller's Jay as probably the most abun- 

 dant bird of its size in all the wooded country between the Kocky Mountains 

 and the Pacific. He describes it as tamo, loiiuacious, and possessed of the 

 most imptulent curiosity. It is a hardy, tough bird, and a constant winter 

 resident of Washington Territory. It is nsmarkable for its varied cries and 



