214 CYANUEUS CKISTATUS, BLUE JAY. 



The Magpie is not a sby bird, but if frequently sbot at soon learus to 

 keep out of range. Among the foot-hills, tiie Magpie begins build- 

 ing ill April ; the nest is quite an elaborate affair, and occupies several 

 days in its construction. It is placed in the fork of a small, bushy tree — 

 which is never a pine — from six to fifteen feet from the ground, and 

 composed externally of stout sticks, ingeniously placed and wedged to- 

 gether. Upon this is a layer of smaller twigs, and then a layer of fine 

 clay one-half or three-quarters of an inch in thickness, which, being ap- 

 plied soft and well worked in, becomes very hard, and binds the whole 

 structure firmly together. On this again is a soft lining of fine twigs, 

 hair, feathers, and any proper material which they can find. Over the 

 whole, rising from the walls of the nest, is a dome of twigs aad sticks, 

 very ingeniously and securely woven together, and framing a shelter for 

 the bird while setting. There are two openings, opposite each other, 

 evidently to make room for the long tail of the bird, which could never 

 be brought within the nest. The eggs are five, of a pale greenish, very 

 thickly obscured with spots and dashes of pale purplish-brown, varying 

 somewhat in intensity and being somewhat thicker at the larger end. In 

 the foot-hills, the young are hatched about the first of June, at Idaho 

 Springs nearlj' three weeks later, or not for two months after the ap- 

 pearance of tlie broods of Picicorvus cohimhianus — a singular fact, con- 

 sidering the intimate relations of the two birds, and their similar habits, 

 range and food." 



^ / CYANUEUS CRISTATUS, (Linn.) Sw. C-'l-pl-'-M^ 

 Bine Jay. 



Corvus cristatus, LiNN., i, 1766, 157.— Gm., i, 1788, 369.— Wu-s., Am. Orn. i, 1808, 11, pi. 1, 

 fig. 1.— Doughty, Cab. 1832, 62, pi. 6.— Bp., Syn. 1828, .58.— Nutt., Man. i, 1832, 

 224.— AUD., Orn. Biog. ii, 1834, 11; v, 1839, 475; pi. 102. 



Garrultts cristatus, ViEiLL., Ency. Jleth. 890 ; Gal. Ois. 160, pi. 102 ; Diet. 1817, 477.— Sw. 

 & ElCH., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 293.— Aud., B. Am. iv, 110, pi. 231.— GiK., B. L. 1, 1844, 

 153 —Maxim., J. f. O, 1856, 192.— Tkippe, Pr. Ess. Inst, vi, 1871, 177 (Minnesota, 

 resident). 



Pica cristata, AVagl., Syst. Av., 1827, Pica No. 8. 



Cijanurus cristatus, Sw., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 495. — Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 580; and of most late 

 writers.— DnESS., Ibis, 1865, 494 (Texas).— McIlwr., Pr. Ess. Inst, v, 1868, 90 

 (Canada West, resident). — AxL7;x, Boll. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 178 (Kansas). — Snow, 

 B. Kans. 1873, 8.— COUES, Key, 1872, 165.— B. B. & R., X. A. B. ii, 273, pi. 42, fig. 3. 



Cyanoeorax cristatus, BoiE. — Bp., List, 1838, 27. — Woodh., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 77 (ludiau 

 Territory). 



Cijanocitta cristata, Stricki,., Ann. Mag. 1845,.261.— Cad., Mus. Hein. i, 1851, 221. 



Ci/anogarriilus cristatus, Bp., Consp. Av. i, 1850, 376. 



Hai. — Eastern North America. North to the Fur Countries (to 56°, Bichardson). 

 West to Kansas, Eastern Nirbraska, and Dakota. Common on the Red Kiver. Breeds / 

 tlivoiigUout its range. Resident throughout its United States range. 



This abundant and familiar si)ecies of the Eastern States was unno- > 

 ti(-ed by either Expedition, and although Audubon states that it "pro-' 

 ceeds up the Missouri Eiver to the eastern declivities of the liockyt 

 Mountains," it does not appear to have been of late observed further 

 west than as above indicated. 



CYANUEUS STELLEEI var. MACEOLOPHUS, (Bd.) Allen. 



Long-crested Jay. - 



a. stelleri. 



Coitus sietteri, Gm., i, 1788, 370.— Lath., Ind. i, 1790, 138.— Pall., Zoog. i, 393.— Bp., 

 Zool. Journ. iii, 18^7, 49; Syu. 1828, 433; Am. Orn. ii, 1(^28, 44. pi. 13, fig. 1.— 

 NUTT., Man. i, 1832, 229. — Aud., Orn. Biog., iv, 1838, 453, pi. 362, fig. 2. 



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