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Genus PERISOREUS. 



Lanius apud Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 138 (1766). 

 Corvus apud Sparrman, Mus. Carls, fasc. iv. (1786-89). 

 Garrulus apud Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. xii. p. 478 (1817). 

 Pica apud Wagler, Syst. Av. Spec. 20 (1827). 

 Perisoreus, Bonaparte, Comp. List, p. 27 (1838). 



This group forms, as it were, a sort of link between the Nutcrackers and true Jays, and contains 

 four species, three of which (Perisoreus canadensis, P. obscurus, and P. capitalis) inhabit the 

 northern portions of the Nearctic Region, and the fourth (Perisoreus infaustus) the northern 

 portions of the Palsearctic Region. These birds are fearless and tame to a degree, appearing 

 to welcome rather than shun the presence of man. They inhabit forests and groves, appearing to 

 prefer conifer to non-evergreen woods. Their flight is Jay-like, but silent ; for they move about 

 with scarcely any more noise than an Owl. They feed on insects, berries, small birds, and 

 mammals, and will devour meat hung up to dry. Their note is loud, weird, and harsh ; but they 

 also utter at times a low, rather mellow sound. They breed very early in the season, like the 

 Nutcrackers, constructing a strongly built cup-shaped nest of lichens and twigs lined with finer 

 lichens, grass, and a few feathers, which they place on a conifer tree. The eggs, from three to 

 five in number, are pale greenish white marked with purplish grey and brown clearly defined 

 blotches. 



Perisoreus infaustus, the type of the genus, has the bill like that of Nucifraga, but shorter 

 and comparatively broader; nostrils basal, covered by stiff feathers directed forwards; wings 

 short, broad, rounded, the first quill shorter than the inner secondaries, the second shorter than 

 the ninth, the fifth longest; tail long, slightly graduated; tarsus long, strong, covered in front 

 with four large and three inferior scutella? ; toes moderate; claws curved, acute, moderately long ; 

 plumage soft and lax. 



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