454 STELLER’S JAY. 
borders of a dark and dense forest, and again some time after a second 
nest with young, in an elevated branch of the same pine, on the border 
of a rocky cliff. On approaching the nest, which contained four eggs, 
of a pale green colour, with small olive-brown specks, varied with 
others of rather a violet hue, both the male and female flew at me with 
the utmost anger and agitation, deafening me almost with their cries 
and entreaties. But though I took only two of their eggs, I found 
next day that they had forsaken the nest, being too fearful and jea- 
lous of the intrusion to remain any longer in the same place. The 
nest as usual was bulky, made of interlaced twigs, and roots, with a 
stout layer of mud, and lied with black root-fibres. I saw the nest 
about ten days previous to the time of taking two of the four eggs. 
On that occasion the female (probably) only followed me in silence.” 
Corvus STEexLxeRI, Gmel. Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 370.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. 
p- 158.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of United States, p. 438, 
SreLuER’s Jay, Garrutus STeELLeERI, Ch. Bonaparte Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 44. 
GarruLus STELLERI, STELLER’s Jay, Fauna Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p: 294. 
STELLER’s Jay, Nuttall, Manual, vol. 11. p. 229. 
Adult Male. Plate CCCLXII. Fig. 2. 
Bill shorter than the head, strong, straight, a little compressed ; 
upper mandible with the dorsal line declinate and convex toward the 
end, the sides sloping and becoming more convex toward the tip, which 
is declinate, thin edged and obtuse, the edges sharp and overlapping, 
with a slight notch; lower mandible straight, the angle short and 
broad, the dorsal outline ascending and slightly convex, the sides con- 
vex, the edges sharp and directed outwards, the tip narrow. Nostrils 
basal, roundish, covered by reversed bristly feathers. 
Head large, ovate, eyes of moderate size; neck rather short ; body 
compact. Legs of moderate length, strong; tarsus much compressed, 
with seven large anterior scutella, and two long plates behind, meet- 
ing so as to form a sharp edge. ‘Toes stout, with large scutella, the 
outer adherent as far as its second joint to the middle toe; first very 
strong; lateral toes nearly equal, third much longer. Claws strong, 
arched, compressed, sharp. 
Plumage full, soft, blended ; stiff bristly feathers with disunited 
barbs over the nostrils, some of them extending a third of the length 
of the bill; at the base of the upper mandible several longish slender 
