164 



CORVID^, CROAVS AND JAYS. GEN. 98, 99. 



resort. In striking contrast to most Corvince, the jays are usually birds of bright 

 and striking colors, among which blue is the most i^rominent, and the head is 

 frequently crested. The sexes are nearly alike, and the changes of plumage do not 

 appear to be as great as is usual among highly colored birds, although some differ- 

 ences are frequently observable. Our well known blue jay is a familiar illustration 

 of the habits and traits of the species in general. They are found in most parts of 

 the world, and reach their highest development in the warmer portions of America. 

 With one boreal exception {Perisoreus) , the genera of the Old and New World are 

 entirely different. 



It is proper to observe, that, while the American Corvince and GamiUnm, upon 

 which the foregoing paragraphs are mainly drawn up, are readily distinguishable, 

 the characters given may require modification in their application to the whole 

 familj^, the different divisions of which appear to intergrade closely. 



98. Genus PSILORHINUS Rueppel. 

 Broxvn Jay. Smoky hrown, darker on head, fading on belly; wings and 

 tail with bluish gloss ; bill and feet black, sometimes yellow ; about 16 long ; 

 Aviug 7J ; tail 8J, much graduated; bill 1 J, very stout; nostrils naked; 



head uncrested. Eio Grande Valley and 

 southward. Bd., 592. . . . moeio. 



if'.nr^ 



99. Genus PICA Brisson. 



Magpie. Lustrous black, with green, 

 purple and violet, and even golden 

 iridescence, especially ou the tail and 

 wings ; below from the breast, a scap- 

 ular patch, and edging of the quills, 

 white ; some whitish touches on the 

 throat; bill and feet black. Length 15 

 or 20 inches, according to the develop- 

 ment of the tail, which is a foot or less 

 long, extremely graduated ; wing about 

 8, the outer primary short, slender, 

 and falcate. Arctic America, and U. S. 

 from Plains to Pacific, except California ; 

 common. Wils., iv, 75, pi. 35; 

 FIG.106, Magpie. NuTT., i, 219; AuD., iv, 99, pi. 227; 



Bd., 576 MELANOLEUCA var. hudsonica. 



Var. NUTTALLii. Yelloiv-hiUed Nagpie. Bill j'cllow ; otherwise preciselj' like the 

 last, of which it is a perpetuated accident ! The European Magpie sometimes 

 shows the same thing, and in some other species, like P. morio, the bill is indiffer- 

 ently black or yellow. California. Aud., iv, 104, pi. 228 ; Ndtt., i, 2d ed., 236 ; 

 Bd., 578 ; Coop., 295. 



Obs. The Columbian Magpie, Pica hullockii of Add., iv, 105, pi. 229, and 

 Ndtt., i, 220, is the Caloeitta mUiei, a magnifieeut species of the West Coast of 

 Mexico, erroneously attributed to California and Oregon. 



