STELLERS JAY. 455 
bristles. ‘The feathers on the top of the head and occiput linear-ob- 
long, slightly recurved, and forming an erectile crest an inch and a 
half in length. Wings of moderate length, convex, and much rounded ; 
the first quill very short, the second an inch and a quarter longer, the 
third nine-twelfths longer than the second, and three-twelfths shorter 
than the fourth, which is one-twelfth shorter than the fifth, the latter 
being the longest, although scarcely exceeding the sixth. Tail long, 
rounded, of twelve rather broad, rounded, and acuminate feathers, of 
which the shafts are undulated. 
Bill and feet black. Iris hazel Head and neck, with the fore 
part and middle of the back brownish-black, of a lighter tint on the 
back, and on the throat streaked with dull grey ; the feathers on the 
forehead tipped with bright blue; the hind part of the back, the rump, 
and the upper tail-coverts, light biue ; as are the lower tail-coverts, the 
sides and lower parts of the rump, the sides of the body, and the whole 
of the breast; the middle of the abdomen paler, the tibial feathers, and 
the lower wing-coverts dusky, tinged with blue. Wings blue, the se- 
condary coverts and quills rich indigo and ultra-marine, narrowly barred 
with black, the outer coverts of the primaries pale; the inner webs of 
the primaries and outer secondaries dusky; tail blue with numerous 
narrow, inconspicuous dusky bars; the lower surface of the wings 
and tail dusky. 
Length to end of tail 13 inches ; bill along the ridge 1,14, along the 
edge of lower mandible 144 ; wing from flexure 51! ; tail 6; tarsus 1,%, ; 
hind toe 7, its claw 7% ; middle toe}}, its claw 7%. 
The Female is similar to the male, and scarcely inferior in colour- 
ing, but somewhat smaller. ' 
Length to end of tail 12 inches; bill along the ridge 14; wing 
from flexure 54; tail 53; tarsus 174; middle toe 14, its claw +5. 
Dr Townsenp informs me that it is called Ass-ass by the Chinooks, 
who regard it with a superstitious feeling, believing that should a per- 
son hear it enunciating certain notes, which resemble the syllables jaa- 
jaa, he will shortly die, whereas its other notes, huc, kuc, kuc, kuc, 
rapidly repeated, portend good. He further states that it is gregarious, 
like the Blue Jay, and corroborates some of the particulars above given. 
Two eggs presented to me by Mr Nurratt measure an inch and an 
eighth in length, and seven-eighths in breadth. 
