3UU N(;ktii amkrican imuds. 



int,' in ^lay at Andorson lUver Fort l)y Mr. MiicFarlaiio. Tt was also pro- 

 cuicd al r>in' Island hy Mr. Koid, at Nulato and I'nalakk'ct Ity Mr. Dall, at 

 St. Mii'liad'.s by Colonel Hulkley, at Fort Kcnai by liisclioll', and at Fort Ji'ac 

 by Mr. Clarke. From the memoranda of ^Ir. MaeFarlane, we have valuable 

 information in rej,'ard to the nesting,' and breeding,' habits of this species. May 

 L'4, at Fort An<ler.son, an Indian lad disciovered a nest of this .Jay. It was 

 bnilt in <i tree, was eomposed of hay and feathers, and contained, with two 

 yonng birds a few days old, an egg that was perfectly fresh. This biid, Mr. 

 !MaeFarlane states, is tolerably numerous in that (^aarter. During the seven; 

 cold of winter it is not (juite so common as at o^her seasons. It is by no 

 means a dillicult bird to shoot, as it will always venture into close prox- 

 imity to man. Flesh or fish are certain to attmct nundiers of them, and 

 they also cause great annoyance to the marten-hunter, by eating the bait 

 placed in the traps used for ca])turing those animals. None of this species 

 were observed on the Arctic coast, nor east of Morton Ifiver, Fort Anderson 

 being the most northern point where ^Ir. ^lacFarlane saw any, in his jour- 

 neys across the barren grouials. 



Other nests found in the same region were usually built in sju'uce-trees, 

 on brandies near the trunk, well concealed from \ iew, and about ten i'eet 

 from the ground. They were constructeil of hay and feathers, supi)orted 

 underneath by a few willow sticks laid crosswise. 



Mr. I>all characterizes this species as u very bold and familiar bird, that 

 Avill fre(|nently lly down and steal away his dinner from some hungry dog, 

 if lie is not on the alert, or devour the fish hung uj) in camp by the Indians 

 to dry. They breed very eai'ly, and occupy tlu; same nest year after year. 

 The nest is very large, and composed entirely of soft materials, iiioss, hair, 

 anil the like. On the 20th of A]iril, Mr. Dall received a nest of this Jay. 

 containing four half-fledged young, so that they must lay in March. The 

 bird was abundant everywhere on llie Yukon lliver. 



These birds are known througlu)ut the fur countries liy the name of 

 Whiskey-.Tack, not from any su])iio.sed ])redilection for that beverage, but 

 proltably, as Mr. Keiuucott has .suggested, from a corruption of the Indian 

 name for these birds, Wiss-ka-chon, which has been contorted into Whiskey- 

 .Fohn and thence into Whiskey-Jack. Ilichardson observed these birds from 

 Canada lo the fur countries as far as latitude ()'.)°. Throughout that region 

 it is a constant attenlant at the fur-posts and fishing-stations, and becomes 

 so tame in the winter as to feed from the hand. Yet it is im])atient of con- 

 finement, and soon jiines away if deprived of its liberty. Its voice is said to 

 be plaintive and sijueakiiig, though it occasionally nuikes a low chattering. 

 It hoards lierries, jiieccs of meat, etc., in hollow trees, or between layers of 

 bark, by which it is enabled to feed its young while the ground is still 

 cnvert;d with snoM". 



Dr. Newlierry found this .lay as far to the south, in Calilbrnia, as the 

 up])er end of the Sacramento \'alley, in latitude 4(»''. The fact that the 



