DUSKY, GRAY, AND SLATE-COLORED 327 



tree, the mother gave them a lesson in catching insects. 

 She brought a small butterfly and lit a little above and 

 in front of one of the young. She fluttered out toward 

 him holding the insect in her bill, then she released the 

 latter so that it flew lamely down just in front of the 

 eager baby. He almost lost his balance in his swift 

 darting down after it, and was obliged to alight upon a 

 lower perch to eat it, instead of returning in true fly- 

 catcher fashion to the one just left. This did not suit 

 his fastidious drillmaster, whether because of the low 

 perch or lack of obedience to rules is unknown. She 

 fluttered, scolded, and coaxed ; but he finished his meal, 

 shut his eyes tightly after the manner of nestlings, and 

 rested where he was. Later on she had persuaded him 

 to come up higher, and the lesson was repeated with 

 variations at intervals all day. Three days after this he 

 was catching flies for himself, although still following 

 the mother about and begging with quivering wings for 

 the larger insects he saw her seize, and too often getting 

 them. 



485. OREGON JAY. — Perisoreus ohscurus. 

 Family : The Crows, Jays, Magpies, etc. 



Length: 9.50-11.00. 



Adults: Forehead and nasal tufts white ; top of head and back of neck 

 sooty black ; back, scapulars, wings, and tail brownish gray ; tail 

 slightly tipped with white ; feathers with white shaft-streaks ; under 

 parts white. 



Young: Dull sooty-brown, darkest on head ; under parts brownish. 



Geographical Distribution : Northern California, Oregon, and Washing- 

 ton to British Columbia. 



