PICA MELAljfOLEUCA VAIi. HUDSONICA, MAGPIE. 211 



■when at ease, and of extremely loud, harsh cries when iu fear or anger. 

 The former are somewhat guttural,' but the latter possess a resonauce 

 diiferent both from the hoarse screams of Cyannra macrolopha, and the 

 sharp, wiry voice of the Cyanocitta. Like Jays, it is a restless, impetu- 

 ous bird, as it were of an unbalanced, even frivolous, mind ; its turbu- 

 lent presence contrasting strongly with the poised and somewhat sedate 

 demeanor of the larger black Gorvi. With these last, however, it shares 

 a strong character — its attitudes when on the ground, to which it 

 habitually descends, being crow-like; and its gait, an easy walk or run, 

 differing entirely from the leaping progression of the true Jays. ID 

 shares a shy and watchful disposition with its relatives on both sides of 

 the family; its flight is most nearly like that of the Picicorvus. It is 

 highly gregarious, in the strict sense of the term. Innnense as the 

 gatherings of Crows frequently are, these birds seem to associate rather 

 in community of interest than in obedience to a true social instinct; 

 each individual looks out for himself, and the company disperses for 

 cause-as readily as it assembles. It is different with these small, Blue- 

 Jay Crows ; they flock, sometimes in surprising numbers, keep as close 

 together as Blackbirds, and move as if by a common impulse. As usual, 

 their dispersion is marked, if not complete, at the breeding season ; but 

 the flocks reassemble as soon as the yearlings are well on wing, from 

 which time until the foUovving spring hundreds are usually seen 

 together. On one occasion at least, I witnessed a gathering of probably 

 a thousand individuals. 

 The nest and eggs of this bird apparently remain unknown. 



Suhfamily Garruxinje : Jays. 



PICA MELANOLBUCA var. HUDSONICA, (Sab.) Coues. 

 American Magpie. 



a. melanoleuca. 



Conns pica, Liisnsr., Fn. Suec. 92 ; Syet. Nut. i, 1766, 157 ; and of early authors. 



Pica melanoleuca, Vieill., Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxvi, 121.' 



Pica albiventris, Vieill., Fu. Frauf . 119, pi. 55, f. 1. 



Pica europwa, BoiB, Isis, 1822, 551. 



Pica rusticorum. Leach, Cat. 1816, 18. 



Pica caiidata, Fleming, Br. An. 1828, 87 ; and of many authors. 



Pica varia, Schl., Rev. Grit. Ois. Eur. 1844, 54. 



Pica gei-manica, septentrionalis, et hiemalis, Buehm, V. D. 1831, 177, 178. 



b. hudsonica. 



Corvuspica, FoRST., Phil. Trans. Ixxii, 1772, 332.— WiLS., Am. Oni. iv, 1811, 75, pi. 35, f. 

 2.— Bp., Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 40 ; Syn. 1828, 57, No. 62.— Sw. & EiCH.. F. B A 

 ii, 1831, 292.— Nu-rr., Man. i, 1832, 219.— Add., Orn. Biog. iv, 1838, 408, pi. 357. 



Corvus hudsonicus, Sae., App. Franklin's .Journey, 1823, 25, 671. 



Pica hudsonica, Bp., List, 1838; Consp. i, 1850, 383.— Maxhi., Eeise, i, 1839, 508; J. f O 

 1858, 197.— Newb., P. E. E. Eep. vi, 1857, 84.— Bd.. B. N. A. 1858,.576.— Woodh., 

 Sitgr. Eep. 1853, 77.— Coop. .& Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 213.— Hayd., 

 Eep. 1862, 171.— LOKD, Pr. Arty. Inst, iv, 121 (British Columbia).— Dall & 

 Bann., Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 1869, 286 (Alaska).— Finsch, Abh. Nat. iii, 1872, 39 

 (Alaska).— Coop., B. Gal. i, 1870, 296.- Sxow, B. Kans. 1873, 8 (Shawnee 

 County, Kans.).— HoLDEN- Aiken, Pr. Best. Soc. 1872, 204 (Wyoming, abundant, 

 breeding).— Stev., U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1870, 465.— Meru., ibid. 1872, 687. 



Cleptes hudsonicus, Gajib., journ. Phila. Acad, i, 1847, 47. 



Pica melanoleuca, AnD., Syn. 1839, 157; B. Am. iv, 1842, 99, pi. 227. 



Pica melanoleuca var. hudsonica, CouES, Key, 1872, 164, fig. 106. 



Pica caudala var. hudsonica, Allen, Bull. M. G. Z. iii, 1872, 178 (Kansas, &c.). — B. B. & 

 E., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 266, pi. 38, f. 1. 



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