THE CALIFOBNIA JAY. 377 



Late in the summer they congregate in straggling flocks in localities where they 

 find subsistence most abundant, as near orchards and among the oak groves in 

 the foothills, which at that time supply them with the bulk of their food; here 

 they are constantly at war with the Californian Woodpeckers, whom they try to 

 rob of their carefully hoarded winter stores whenever an opportunity presents 

 itself, while in the winter they come around the farmhouses and steal whatever 

 eatables they can. 



The ground color of the egg of the California Jay is very variable, ranging 

 from deep sea green to pea and sage green, and again to dull olive and vinaceous 

 buff. The eggs with a greenish ground color usually have markings of a dark 

 bottle-green tint, mixed sometimes with different shades of sage green. The 

 eggs having a buffy ground color are spotted, blotched, and speckled with 

 different shades of ferruginous, cinnamon, rufous, and occasionally lavender. 

 The markings are generally scattered over the entire smface of the egg, and are 

 usually heavier about the larger end, but nowhere so profuse as to hide the 

 ground color. These markings vary considerably in size ; some ai*e irregular in 

 shape, others are quite even in size throughout, and occasionally they are fine 

 and profuse, resembling in style of markings the well-known eggs of some of the 

 Thrashers (Harporhynclms). A few instances are known where unspotted eggs 

 have been found. The shell is close grained and lusterless. In shape the eggs 

 are mostly ovate; a few are elongate ovate. 



The average measurement of seventy-six eggs in the United States National 

 Museum collection is 27.82 by 20.62 millimetres, or about 1.10 by 0.81 inches. 

 The largest egg of the series measures 30.78 by 21.84 millimetres, or 1.21 by 

 0.86 inches; the smallest, 24.89 by 19.30 millimetres, or 0.98 by 0.76 inch. 



The type specimens figured are selected to show some of the different styles 

 of coloration found among the eggs of this species, which are subject to a great 

 deal of variation. No. 20369 (PL 5, Fig. 15), Bendire collection, taken near 

 Nicasio, Marin County, California, April 31, 1878, represents one of the rarer 

 color phases; No. 20846 (PI. 5, Fig. 16), presented by Dr. James C. Merrill, 

 United States Army, from a set of three eggs taken near Santa Cruz, California, 

 April 23, 1877, shows another rather rare style of coloration; No. 24331 (PI. 5, 

 Fig. 17), received from the United States Department of Agriculture, from a set of 

 four eggs, taken by Mr. F. Stephens, near Owen's Lake, Inyo County, California, 

 on June 8, 1891, shows one of the commoner types; and No. 26950 (PI. 5, Fig. 

 18), from an incomplete set of two eggs, taken by Mr. J. Van Denburgh, near 

 Los Catos, California, on May 16, 1889, shows a rather light-colored and nearly 

 immaculate specimen. 



