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THE COLUMBIA JAY. 



CORVUS BULLOCKII. 

 PLATE XCVI. Adult. 



The genus Corvus consists of birds which diifer considerably in 

 their appearance and manners. This circumstance has given rise to 

 various separations and groupings. It may, in fact, be considered 

 analogous to the great genera Falco, Psittacns and Coluinba, which, 

 although the species composing them exhibit great diversity, may be al- 

 lowed to retain their integrity, because the gradations between the spe- 

 cies are so minute that each group presents an uninterrupted series. 

 Were one to compare the Golden Eagle with the Swallow-tailed Hawk, 

 the Red Macaw with the Ground Parrot of New Holland, or the Great 

 Crested Pigeon with the Turtle Dove, he might dovibtless find reasons 

 for separating these birds into genera, could he but forget that the inter- 

 mediate gradations are to be seen. It is so with the Crows and Jays. 

 The former are characterized by a certain gravity of aspect ; their flight 

 is regular, protracted, and performed by easy flappings and sailings ; 

 they frequent open places, and feed on almost all kinds of food indiscri- 

 minately ; their cry is a dull croak or scream. The latter are much 

 smarter in their appearance, more lively in their motions ; their flight is 

 less protracted, and performed by short flappings ; they frequent woods 

 and thickets, and live chiefly on fruits ; and their notes are emitted in 

 noisy chatterings. The bill of the Crows is large, robust, cultriform, 

 covered at the base with long, stiffs, closely adpressed, reversed, bristly 

 feathers ; that of some of the Jays is much smaller, not robust, and ap- 

 proaching to the form of that of Thrushes and Nutcrackers, and the 

 basirostral feathers are diminished in size and rigidity. The Crows have 

 shortish, even or rounded tails, with long and sometimes rather sharp 

 wings. The Jays have the tail often greatly elongated and cuneiform or 

 graduated, with short, much rounded, concave wings. Numerous other 

 contrasts are afforded, the Crows, for example, being generally dull and 

 uniform in their colours, the Jays variegated and often brilhant. All 

 these circumstances I intend to discuss in another work, and in the mean 



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