288 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Cyanocitta californica, Stuickland. 



CALIFOSNIA JAY. 



Gamdiis mli/oniicus, '.'inous, Zoijl. Beechcy's Voyagi", 18.39, 21, pi. v. Ci/anncUta, cali- 

 fornicn, Siimckland, Aim. Mag. XV, 1845, 342. — CiAMnKi,, .T. A. N. Sc. 2(1 suiics, 

 1, IVc. 1847, 4.5. — lioN. Con-sppctus, 18.50, 377. - Nkwbkkrv, P. K. 11. U«p. VI, 

 IV, 18.57, 8.5. — lUlun, Birds N. Am. 1858, .584. — Heeum. X, S, 55. — CmrEii, 

 Oiii. Cal. I, 1870, 302. Ci/fiiiocorax ca?ifornii;iix, GAMnEL, Pr. A. N. Sc. Ill, Ap. 

 1847, 201. Jpli'/iicnmam/i/oniv-a, Oahanms, Mus. Hein. 18r)l, 221. — Bon. C'omptes 

 Hi'iidus, XXXVI 1, Nov. 18.53, 828 ; Notes Orii. Delattre. Conns tcHraiimritiii/!, Avv. 

 (Ira. liiog. IV, 1838, 450, pi. ccolxii (not Garrulux ullramarinus, Bon.), (larruliis 

 nltrnnmrimis, AuD. Syn. 1839, 154. — in. Birds Am. IV, 1842, 115, \i\. cpxxxii (not 

 of Bonai'aute). Cijanocitta supcrcilinsn, Stkicki.and, Ann. Miig. XV, 1845, 200 

 (type of g('nuH Cijanocilta). "C'orvus pallmius, Duapiez," Bosat. 



Sr. ("riAii. Wiiltli of bill at base of lower mandible rat'i more than half the length 

 of culinen. Lateral tail-f('ather.s about an inch the shortest Tail an inch longer than 

 the wings. General color above, including the surface of the wings, bright blue, without 

 bars. The whole Ixiek, inehidiug to some extent the scapulars, brownish-ash, very faintly 

 glossed with blue in the adult. A streaked white superciliary line from a little anterior 

 to th(! eye as far as the occiput. Sides of the head and neck blue, the region around and 

 behind the eye, including lores and most of ear-covcrt.<;, black. The blue of the sides of 

 the neck (>xtends across the forepart of the breast, forming a crescent, interrupted in the 

 middle. The under parts anterior to the crescent white, the fe.ithcrs edged with blue ; 

 behind it dull white ; the sides tinged with brown. Length, 12.25 ; wing, 5.00 ; tail, 

 G.15: tarsus, 1.55. (Xo. 2,841.) 



IIab. Paeilic Province from Columbia River to Cape St. Lucas ; Carson City, Nevada 

 (RinowAv). 



Specimens from Cape St. Lucas are rather smaller and perhaps whiter 

 beneath than elsewhere ; those from the eastern slope of Sierra Nevada are 



very large. Upon a careful 

 comparison, we find that the 

 supposed sjiecimens of C. enli- 

 fornka in the Smithsonian col- 

 lection frotn Mexico (Orizalia, 

 etc.) constitute a (juite differ- 

 ent form, characterized by very 

 indistinct sui)fcvciliary white 

 find blui.sh ed<fes to throat 

 and jujfular feathers, and es- 

 pecially by the lengthened 

 wings, which average 5.75 

 „ .„ ,.^ . inches instead of 5.0(1. In 



general respects the resem- 

 blance, as .suggested by Scltiter, is to californica, and not to woodhoHnei. 

 The dorsal patch is very distinct. 



One Mexican specimen (8,405 from Keal del Monte ?), presented by Mr. 



