216 ZOOLOGY. 



PERISOREUS CANADENSIS, Bonap. 



Canada Jay. 



CoTvus canadensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 158.— Forstek, PhiL Trans. LXII, 1772, 382.— Wilson, Am. Orn. HI, 

 1811, 33 ; pi. xxi.— Bon. Obs. 1824, No. 42.— Aud. Cm. Blog. II, 1834, 53 : V, 1839, 208 ; 

 pi. 107. 

 Oamdm canadensis, Bon. (Saggio, 1831?) Syn. 1828, 58. — Swainson, F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 295. — Nuttall, Man. 



I, 1832, 232.— AuD. Syn. 1839, 155.— Ib. Birds Amer. IV, 1842, 121 ; pi. 234. 

 Dysomithia canadensis, Swainson, F. Bor. Am. II, 1831. Appendix. 



Perisoreus canadensis, Bon. List, 1838. — Ib. Conspectus, 1850, 375. — Newbebky, Rep. P. R. R. Smv. VI. iv, 1857, 

 85.— Baikd, Gen. Rep. Birds, 590. 

 Sp. Cn. — Tail graduated ; lateral feathers about one inch shortest. Wings a little shorter than tlie tail. Head and neck, 

 and fore part of breast, white. A plumbeous brown nuchal patch, becoming darker behind, from the middle of the crown to 

 the back, from which it is separated by an interrupted whitish collar. Rest of upper parts ashy plumbeous ; the outer primaries 

 margined, the secondaries, tertials, and tail feathers obscurely tipped with white. Beneath smoky gray. Crissum whitish, 

 iris brown, bill and feet black. Length, 10.70 ; extent, 16.50 ; wing, 5.75 ; tail, 6.00 ; tarsus, 1.40. 



Eab. — Northern America into the northern parts of United States from Atlantic to Pacific ; more south in Rocky mountains, 



I first saw the Canada jay at the mouth of the Columbia river in March, 1854, when they 

 were in a small scattered flock, industriously seeking insects and seed among the spruce trees, 

 much in the manner of the titmice, occasionally whistling in a loud melodious tone like the 

 cardinal bird. I have always found them near the same place at all seasons, and, having shot 

 a newly fledged young bird there in July, have no doubt they build in the vicinity. I have 

 not observed the bird common in any other locality, but it seems to be well known in the country 

 bv the name of " meat bird," as it will watch hunters and pick at the deer or other meat they 

 hang in the woods. They sometimes show great boldness in obtaining their favorite food. I 

 have seen them enter a boat containing several person to steal some salmon roe. It is commonly, 

 however, a shy bird, remaining in the dense forest, where in this Territory it can usually 

 obtain sufiicient food. Its notes differ much from the other jays in being clear and musical, 

 and they sometimes show considerable variety of song, though generall}' they are silent. They 

 seem to prefer the spruce forests along the coast, but I have seen a few at Puget Sound.— C. 



The only specimen of the Canada jay seen by me on Puget Sound was obtained at Port 

 Townsend, having been killed in the forest of firs and spruce trees near Point Wilson. I think 

 that it is not a common species at the head of the sound, but prefers the more immediate 

 vicinity of the ocean, probably on account of the difl'erent charapter of the forests there found. 



Mr. Robert Kennicott informs me that the vulgar name of this bird, common among 

 hunters, ^^ Whiskey Jack," is probably a corruption of its Chippewa name, '^ Wiss-ka-cJion," 

 which has been twisted by former "mountain men" into whiskey Jo/wi, and then ivhiskcy 

 Jack. — S. 



