574 U. S. p. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENEEAl, REPORT. 



GYMNOKITTA, Pr. Max. 



Gymnorhinus, Pr. Max. Reise Nord. Amer. II, 1841, 21. Type G. cyanocephala. 



Gymiiokitta, Pr. Max. " 1850," Gray. 



Cyanocephalus, Bonap. " 1842," Preoccupied in Botany. 



Ch. — Bill elongated, depressed, shorter than the tarsus, longer than the head, without notch, similar to that of Sturnella 

 in shape. Culmen nearly straight ; commissure curved ; gonys ascending. Nostrils small, oval, entirely exposed, the bristly 

 feathers at the base of the bill being very minute. Tail short, nearly even, much shorter than the pointed wings, which cover 

 three-fourths of the tail. Tarsi considerably longer than the middle toe. 



This is a very remarkable genus of Oorvidae, and is readily distinguished among North 

 American forms by the naked nostrils, and short, even tail. The nostrils are small and oblong, 

 not circular, the anterior wall scooped out. There is a striking likeness in the shape of the 

 -bill to that of Sturnella ludoviciana, even to the depressed culmen at the base, extending back 

 into the forehead. With a general resemblance to Picicorvus in the attenuation of the bill, the 

 culmen is nearly straight to near the tip ; the gonys convex at the base, then straight, and 

 ascending ; the tip of the bill in both is broad, flat, and without notch. The edges of the bill 

 are not inflected towards the base, as in Picicorvus. The tarsi are proportionately longer, the 

 lateral toes shorter. 



In both genera there is a slight indication of a row of small scales along the posterior edge 

 of the tarsi on the inner edge. 



The proper generic name for this species is a matter of some uncertainty. In the first edition 

 of Gray's list of genera, in 1840, GymnorJiina was proposed for a genus of Gorvidae, which, 

 according to his views, prevented the subsequent use of Gymnorhinus of Prince Maximilian. 

 The year quoted for the latter name is 1843, but this is the date of the French translation, the 

 original German work bearing the imprint of 1841. It is a question whether both names cannot 

 be used, as I have contended in other instances. In the present case, however, as the new 

 appellation for the group is by the same author as the old one, and the conflicting names are in 

 the same family, it may, perhaps, be as well to accept Gymnokitta. I have not been able to lay 

 my hand on the place where this genus is first introduced. 



GYMNOKITTA CYANOCEPHALA, P r . Max. 



Maximiliau's Jay. 



Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus, Pr. Maximilian, Reise in das innere Nord Amerika, II, 1841 , 21. — Ib. Voyage dans Am . 



du Nord, III, 1843, 296. 

 Gymnokilta cyanocephala, " Pr. MxT." 1850," Br. Conspectus,;i850,382.— Cassin, Illust. I, vi, 1854, 165 ; pi. xXviii. 



Newberry, Rep. P. R. R. VI, iv, 1857, 83. 

 P»Uorhinu$ cyanocephalus. Gray, Genera. 

 Cyanocorax cassinii, M'Call, Pr. A. N. Sc. V, June, 1851, 916. 



Sp. Ch. — Wings considerably longer than the tail, and reaching to within an inch of its tip. Tail nearly even. General 

 color dull blue, paler on the abdomen, the middle of which is tinged with ash ; the head and neck of a much deeper and more 

 intense blue, darker on the crown. Chin aild fore part of the throat whitish, streaked with blue. Length, 10 inches ; wing, 

 5.90 ; tail, 4.50 ; tarsus, 1.50. 



Hab. — Rocky mountains to Cascades of California and Oregon. Not on the Pacific coast..' 



The bill of this species is longer than the head. The wings are long and pointed ; the third, 

 fourth, and fifth quills nearly equal, the second a little longer than the seventh, but half an inch 

 less than thei longest ; the exposed portion nf the first about half that of the longest. 



