CUUVID.E — THE CROWS. 



2U7 



was witli (ioneral Scott's army in its cain])aij,'ii in Mexico. Mv. IVnso stated 

 tiiat it lived on tlic sides ol' tiie hills tliroiiyliout the year, and lliiil its local 

 name was /Vyw nirdi: 



("olonul (reoi'oe A. McCall, Ins|)ect()r-(!enenil of the United States Army, 

 was tlie lir.st jjcrson to collect these l)irds within oiir limits. Jle olilained 

 them in the forests that horder the Jlio (Iniiide on the .southeastern frontier 

 of Texas. There he found them all mated in the month of May, and 

 iio felt no donlit that they had their nests in the extensive and almost 

 imj)enetrablo thickets of niinujaa, commonly calleil chaparial. From the 

 jealou.sy and pugnacity which these liirds manifested on the aiijjroacli, or 

 ai)pearancc even, of the large boat-tailed lUackbirds of that country {(Jnisat- 

 liia momtriis), which were nesting in great nuniliers in the vicinity, t'(donel 

 MuCall was satisfied that the Jays were at that time also engaged in the 

 duties of incubation and rearing their young. In character and temiieranient 

 these birds appeared to be very active and lively, though le.ss noisy than 

 some other species of the family. Tlieir gay phimaiie was exhiiiited to great 

 advantage as they flitted from tree to tree, or dashed boldly in pursuit of 

 such of their more plairly attired neighbors as ventured to intrude upon 

 their domain. 



f'aptain J. V. McCown, also quoted l)y Mr. Cassin, furnishes some 

 additional observations in regaid to these l)irds. He states that during the 

 several years that he was in Texas, he frequently saw these Jays, but never 

 met with them above Kinggold IJarracks, or north of the woods that skirt 

 the liio Crrantle. They seemed to [)refcr the acacia groves which have 

 sprung up where the gnnind has been overllowed. He regards it as a rather 

 cautious bird. He observed nests high up in the trees above mentioned, 

 which he supposes l>elong to this species, though this was never positively 

 ascertained. He had no doubt that they breed in Texas. 



Genus FERISOREUS, Boxap. 



Perisorcus, Bonap. Saggio di uiin dist. met. 1831. (Type, CurviM camdciisls /^ 

 Di/soniilhui, SwAi.NsoN, F. B. Am. II, 1831, 49.5. (Sumo type.) 



CiiAii. Featliors lax and full, ospceially on the back, and of very dull colors, without 

 auy hhie. Head without distinct crest. Bill very short; broader than high. Cuhncn 

 scarcely half the length of the head ; straight to near the tip, then .slightly curved ; gonys 

 more curved than culnien. Bill notched at tip. Xostrils rounil, covered by bristly feath- 

 ers. Tail about equal to the wings ; gr.aduated. Tarsi rather ,«hort ; but little longer 

 than the middle toe. Plumage very sott, and without any lustre. 



The Canada Jay has a near ally in a species of northern Europe and 

 Siberia, — the Siberian Jay (P. infmistus). In size and proportions the two 

 are quite identical, there being about the same proportionate length of wing 

 and tail, and a general correspondence in the niinutiie of external anatomy. 



vol.. ir. 33 



