CANADA JAV. 141 



York, and Michigan. Near Ottawa, and in the Muskoka district 

 of Ontario, it occurs regularly, though it is not abundant. In Oc- 

 tober, 1889, one example was taken at Arlington Heights, near 

 Boston, and several have been reported from other localities in 

 Massachusetts. 



I examined a nest taken near Edmundston, New Brunswick, on 

 April 7, 1883, at which date the country there was covered with 

 snow and ice. The nest was placed on a small tree near the main 

 highway, and not many hundred yards from the railroad station. 

 As the cold in that region is intense, the temperature often being at 

 — 30° to — 40° F. in midwinter, it is surprising that the eggs are 

 ever hatched. But the nest is made very warm, and the birds sit 

 close, and when one parent steps off the other at once steps on. 



By the first of June the young are in full feather and taking care 

 of themselves. 



Nuttall's opinion that these birds appear bold and familiar only 

 when pressed by the hunger of winter, has not found support in 

 my experience. Frequently v/hen camping in the New Brunswick 

 woods during the summer vacation I have seen numbers of these 

 birds gather about my camp-fire within a few minutes after it has 

 been lighted ; and they did not hesitate to pick up a piece of meat 

 thrown toward them. Mr. Thompson reports a similar experience 

 in Manitoba. He describes these birds coming to his camp-fireside 

 and helping themselves to scraps lying but a few feet from where 

 he was sitting. Several other observers, however, have recorded 

 a similar opinion to Nuttall's ; and it may be that the fearless birds 

 are restricted to localities where they are not disturbed. 



The Canadian hunters and lumbermen have a superstitious 

 respect for these birds, fearing the ill-luck that is said to result 

 from killing one, and Whiskey Jack may have discovered that. 



Note. — The Labrador Jay (/". canadensis nigricapilus) 

 differs from true canadensis in being darker in genera) coloration. 

 It is restricted to the coast region of Labrador. 



