424 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. — PASSEBES—OSCINES. 



at the larger end. In regions where Woodhouse's and the long-crested jays occur together, the 

 latter lives chiefly in the pines, the former in the scrub-oak and other thickets. 



356. A. f. califor'nica. (Of California.) California Jay. The dorsal patch light and distinct 

 as in A. floridana, but the under parts, including tail-coverts and tibiae, nearly white ; gular 

 streaks very large, aggregated, and white, causing the throat to be nearly uniform ; a white 

 superciliary line, as in woodhousii, but no hoary on forehead ; bill slender. Thus it is seen that 

 each of the three forms presents a varying emphasis of common characters. $ 9 , adult : 

 General color blue. Scapulars and interscapulars gray, with little if any tinge of blue ; rump 

 and upper tail-coverts bluish-gray, usually mixed with some white. Forehead and nasal tufts 

 blue like crown ; a sharp white superciliary stripe over and behind eye ; lores, eyelids, and 

 auriculars blackish. Under parts from the breast soiled white, with little or no tinge of blue 

 except on crissum ; breast appearing as if blue, overlaid with broad white stripes, which become 

 continuous on throat and chin ; the breast is really white, in streaks edged with blue, and with 

 a surrounding of blue in which the streaks are as if framed. Iris brown ; bill and feet black. 

 Length 12.00 or less ; vidng 5.00 ; tail 5.50 ; bill 1.00 ; tarsus 1.50 ; middle toe and claw 1.25. 

 In comparison with woodhousii, differences are seen in the well-defined gray dorsal patch ; the 

 nearly white underparts without decidedly blue crissum ; and the broader and more continuously 

 white gular streaks. The general habits, nest, and eggs are the same. 



357. A. nitramari'na arizo'nse. (Lat. ultramarinCi,, bfiyond the sea, name of a blue color.) Ari- 

 zona Jay. Belonging to a different section of the genus, distinguished by having the tail 

 rather shorter than longer than the wings, the upper parts uniform blue, and no throat-streaks. 

 $ 9 , adult : Above, light blue, purer on head, wings, and tail than on back, where rather 

 dull. Beneath, sordid bluish-gray, bluest on breast, paler on throat, whitening on belly, 

 flanks, and ciisgum. Lores blackish ; orbits and auriculars dark. No superciliary stripe, nor 

 decided streaks on throat or breast. Bill normally black, sometimes irregularly patched with 

 whitish. Feet black. Length about 13.00; wing 6.25-6.75; tail 6.00-6.50, rounded, the 

 lateral feathers graduated about 0.50 ; bill 1.25, 0.40 deep at base ; tarsus 1.67 ; middle toe and 

 claw 1.33. Young : Little if any blue excepting on wings and tail, being duU gray above ; 

 below, much like the adult. Bill flesh-colored on most of under mandible. Arizona, and 

 probably New Mexico; N. to about 35°. (C. sordida, Bd., 1858; Coues, 1872, may be .i 

 variety of sordida, but it is probably going too far to bring in ultra/marina, and make botlt 

 this and arisonee varieties oi sordida.) 



'113. XANTHU'RA. (Grr. ^av66s, xanthos, yellow; oSpa, oura, tail.) Geeen Jays. No crest. 

 Wings short, much rounded, with lengthened inner secondaries folding nearly over the pri- 

 maries. Tail longer than wings, graduated. BiU short and deep, with culmen curved from 

 the base. Colors green and yellow, with black and blue on head. Several tropical species of 

 these luxurious jays, one reaching our border. 



358. X. luxurio'sa. (Lat. Itixuriosa, luxurious. Commonly written luxuosa.) Eio Grande 

 Jay. Adult ^ : Back and exposed surface of wings yellowish -green ; inner webs of most of 

 the quills blackish edged with clear yellow ; their shafts black above, yellow or whitish 

 below; lining of wings clear yellow. Four middle tail-feathers greenish-blue, at base little 

 different from back, bluing toward ends ; these feathers, seen from below, quite black ; other 

 tail-feathers all clear rich yellow, including their shafts. Under parts from the breast light 

 greenish -yellow, yielding to pure yellow on middle of belly. Top of head and nasal plumules 

 beautiful rich blue, yielding on forehead to hoary-white. Sides of head to above eyes, and 

 whole chin, throat, and fore-breast jet black, enclosing a large triangular patch of blue on 

 the side of the lower jaw, and blue touches on the eyelids. Bill and feet black. Length 

 11.25-12.00; extent 14.50-15.50; wing 4.50-5.00; tail 5.25-5.75; tarsus 1.50; middle toe 

 and claw 1.25 ; bill 1.00, very stout. ? near the lesser of the dimensions given. This truly 

 elegant bird is abundant in some localities in the Lower Kio Grande valley. Nest in bushes 



