May, 1907 THE WOODHOUSE JAY IN WESTERN COLORADO . 83 



My first experience with the breeding birds occurred on June 16, 1903. I 

 was carefull^^ beating out a rather steep hillside sloping down from a high sandstone 

 butte, at an altitude of about 6800 feet, looking for nests of the Wright flycatcher. 

 The hillside was badly washed by the spring rains forming little gulches in the red 

 adobe soil. The entire area was well covered with patches of service-berry, buck- 

 brush, scrub-oak and an occasional pinyon. 



As my pony brushed against a peculiarly thick clump of service-berry I heard 

 a very slight flutter and not seeing a bird fly out, I dismounted and forced my 

 way into the clump. As I did so the bird slipped quietly out on the other side 

 and I caught a fleeting glimpse of her as she flew, barely a foot off the ground, 

 into a nearby bush. 



The nest, for such it proved to be, was built near the center of the clump and 

 about four feet from the ground. It was held in place by a thick net-work of 

 small angular twigs and two larger vertical branches none over ^ inch in diameter. 

 The only concealment afforded the nest was the thick mat of leaves at the extrem- 

 ity of the branches which formed a sort of canopy about the exterior of the bush, 

 not a leaf being near enough to the nest to afford concealment; but right here is 

 where I discovered the secret of their concealment. The outer structure of course 

 so nearly resembles the network of small twigs in the service-berry bush that it 

 was difficult to tell where the nest stopped and the twigs began. 



The nest itself, which at first appeared to be a rather fragile structure, upon 

 closer examination proved to be a remarkable piece of bird architecture. It was 

 composed of a platform of very crooked dead twigs, thickly interlaced to form a 

 basket-like structure, in which the nest proper was firmly placed. The latter, 

 which was entirely separate from the outer basket was a beautifully woven and 

 interlaced cup, composed of fine weed stalks on the outside, giving place to fine, 

 brown, fibrous rootlets toward the interior which was sparingly lined with 

 horsehair. 



In general appearance the exterior was not unlike the nest of the white- 

 rumped shrike, while the interior or nest proper closely resembled a black-headed 

 grosbeak's nest. The entire structure, while not particularly artistic, exhibited a 

 high grade of bird architecture and was remarkably strong and durable. 



The nest outside measured about six inches in diameter by six inches in 

 depth, and the interior structure measured outside 4/4 inches in diameter by 2}i 

 inches deep; inside 3}i inches in diameter by 2}{ inches deep. 



During the entire time I was examining and photographing the nest the male 

 remained at the very top of a nearby service-berry bush, perfectly silent and ap- 

 parently unconcerned. After flushing her from the nest I did not see the 

 female again. 



The nest contained three beautifully blotched eggs in which incubation was 

 well advanced. They measure 1.12x.81, 1.12x.82, and l.lOx.80. 



I am inclined to think that the date of nesting given by most authorities, is 

 somewhat earlier in that altitude, as the service-berry and scrub-oak are not leafed 

 out enough to furnish suitable concealment until late in May and I think about 

 June 1 is an average date for fresh eggs in that locality. 



The young of the year are not very much in evidence until they are well 

 matured, but during August and September by which time the young are all able 

 to take care of themselves the birds are particularly conspicuous and noisy. 



It has been stated upon . good authority that these birds are addicted to nest 

 robbing, but I have never seen any indications of this and judging from the good 

 feeling which apparently exists between these birds and other species I am in- 



