CROWS, JAYS, ETC. 271 



THE ARIZONA GREEN JAY* 



The geographical range of the Ai'izona Jay is in south- 

 ern New JMexico and Arizona and south into Sonora and 

 Chihuahua, JSIexico. It is a common resident throughout 

 the oak belt which generally fringes the foothills of the 

 mountains and ranges well up among the pines. In suitable 

 localities it is very abundant. It is rarely seen at any dis- 

 tance out of the arid plains ; but after the breeding season 

 is over, small flocks are sometimes met with among the 

 shrubbery of the few water courses, several miles away 

 from their regular habitat. They are seen in the early 

 spring, evidently on a raid for eggs and the young of 

 smaller birds. On such occasions they are very silent, and 

 their presence is only betrayed by the scoldings they receive 

 from other birds. On their own heath they are as noisy 

 as any of our jays, and apparently far more sociable, a 

 number of pairs frequently nesting close to each other in 

 a small oak grove. They move about in small family parties 

 of from half a dozen to twenty or thirty, being rarely seen 

 alone. They are restless, constantly on the move, prying 

 into this or that, spending a good portion of their time on 

 the ground, now hopping on a low limb, and the next 

 minute down again, twitching their tails almost constant^. 

 Their call notes are harsh and far-reaching, and are 

 somewhat similar to those of the California jay. 



Their nests are usually of small sticks, lined with 

 smaller roots and twigs, all rather loosely arranged. They 

 lay four eggs of a bluish color without markings. 



