302 NORTH AMEKICAN BIKCS. 



Ferisoreus canadensis, var. obscurus, Ridgway. 



ALASKAN GBAT JAT. 



Perisoreiis canadensis, CoorKii & Sucklky, 216. - Dali, & BANNisTKit, Tr. Chic. Ac. I, 

 ISO'.), 280 (Alaska). — FiNsuil, Abh. Nat. Ill, 1S72, 40 (Alaska). — Cooper, Orn. Cal. 

 I, 1870, 307. 



Sp. Ciiah. {^,\rA Slioalwater Bay, W. T., March 10, 1854; Dr. J. G. Cooper.) Above 

 plunibeous-unibur, inclining to grayisli-iihiinl)eon.s on wing.s and tail; shafts of the dorsal 

 fcalliors con-spicuously while. Whole crown and nape, aliuve the lores and auricnlars, 

 sooty-black ; .separated from the brown of the l)ack by a whiti.sh tint. Forehead (narrow- 

 ly), nasal tufts, loi-es, whole lateral and under side of head, with jugulnin, pure white, rest 

 of lower parts a duller and more brownish white. Wing, .5.iJ0; tail, 5.30; culnien, .93; 

 tarsus, 1.20. Yuiniy (5,904, Slioalwater Bay). Entirely pluinbeous-brown, inclining to 

 brownish-white beneath. Dorsal feathers with white shaft,*, and those of the forehead, 

 crown, and nape, as well as the wing-coverts, with ol)solete whitish borders. 



This form, as described above, seems to be peculiar to the northwest coast, 

 reaching its extreme develoi)ment in Washington Territory and Oregon. 

 North of Sitka, and in the Yukon Territory, sjieciinens incline toward the 

 var. amndcnsis, in broader frontal white, and jjiirer plumbeous colors. 



Habits. Dr, Cooper met with this variety at the moutli of the Columbia 

 Eiver in March in small scattered flocks, industriously seeking in.sects and 

 seeds among the spruce-trees, occasionally whistling in a loud melodious 

 tone like that of the Cardinal Gro.sbeak. He also states that the notes of this 

 bird differ much from the other Jays in being clear and musical, and they 

 sometimes show a considerable variety of song. 



Tliis Jay, ^Ir. Loid states, is so familiar and confiding, and so fond of 

 beiuff near the haliitations of man, that the settlers never harm it. In the 

 cold Nveather he has seen it hop by the fire, ruffle up its feathers and 

 warm itself without the least fear, keeping a sharp lookout for crumbs, and 

 looking so beseechingly with its glittering gray eyes, that no one could 

 refuse such an apjteal for a stray morsel. It winters in British Columbia 

 and Vancouver Island. 



Ferisoreus canadensis, var. capitalis, Baibd. 



BOCKT MOTTNTAnr OSAT JAT. 



pp. (^iiAii. (fll,0f=!4. Henry's Fork, Wyoming Teritory, F. V. Harden.) Above fme 

 light bluish-pluinbeous, becoming much lighter on the anterior portion of the back; 

 tertials, secondaries, wing-covert,«, priniarie.i, and tail-feathers passing into whitish 

 terminally, on the latter forming quite broad and distinct tips. A nuchal patch of a 

 slightly darker tint than the l)ack, and separated from it by the hoary whitish of the 

 anterior dorsal region. Whole of the head (except the nuchal patch), with th<' anterior 

 lower parts, as far as the breast, ]inre white; rest of lower parts ashy-white, becoming 

 gradually more- ashy posteriorly. Wing, 5.80; tail, 6.00 ; culmen, 1.00. Young (18,440, 



