THE OSPREY. 103 



July 21, 3 eggs, fresh (proliabl)'), St. George; 

 July 22, 1 young, very small, " 



From this it would seem that this bird deposits its eggs between June 15 

 and July 20. The number is usually six. 



The nest is made of medium-sized grass and lined with fine dead grass. 

 All the nests I found were ))uilt in small depressions in the moss, usually in 

 such a position as to be protected by an overhanging tuft. The male has a very 

 pretty song which he delivers while in the air. Kising about seventy feet he 

 spreads out his wings and tail and allows himself to drift slowly down, singing 

 until he reaches the ground. His song is characteristic, clear and sweet. 



A STUDY OF THE GENUS PERISOREUS. 



By Reginald Heber Howe, Junior. 



A careful and critical study of a large series of specimens of this genus, 

 composed of examples kindly loaned me by the U. S. National Museum, the 

 Museum of Comparative Zoology, the Bryant Collection, the American Museum 

 of Natural History, Mr. Outram Bangs, and Mr. William Brewster, in ad- 

 dition to the series in the Howe-Shattuck collection, leads me to an understanding 

 of its species and races, and their respective distribution, perhaps worthy of 

 consideration. 



The genus as now known is divided into two species and three races, all of 

 which, except one, Perisorcus infaustus, inhabit North America. 



The peculiar texture, and coloration of their plumage, which is subject 

 not only to individual, seasonal and age variation, but also to fading, increases 

 the difficulty of the study, and moreover makes the separation of races more 

 difficult, and consequently less advisable. 



Perisoreus infaustus (Linn.). 

 Siberian Jay. 



Habitat: Northern Europe and Siberia, across the whole of northern 

 Asia. 



Remarhs: This species through the difficulty of obtaining material has had 

 necessarily less careful study than the American representatives of the genus. 

 A series of seven specimens from Sweden and Norway show no variation. 



