STELLER'S JAY. 249 



In elevating our subgenus Grarrulus to the rank of a genus, we merely 

 conform to the dictates of nature; in this instance coinciding with 

 Temminck, whose intention it is, as he informs us, to include in it the 

 Jays and Magpies, leaving the name of Corvus for those species which 

 are distinguished by their black plumage, and short and even tails. 

 These birds are on every acccount well worthy of this distinction, and 

 we cheerfully adopt an arrangement which we deem consonant with 

 nature: but we cannot agree to the change of termination ((ra?TMZa) 

 which he has attempted to introduce, under the pretence that his genus 

 is more extensive than the genus Grarrulus of former authors. That 

 genus was in fact formed by Brisson, and afterwards by Linnd, united 

 with Corvus. This latter genus of Linn^ certainly contained within 

 itself the constituents of several very natural genera ; but the additions 

 made to it by Gmelin and Latham, rendered it an utter chaos, where 

 every new species with a stout bill took its place, in defiance of the 

 genuine characters. Under such circumstances the task of the Orni- 

 thologist who professed to be guided by philosophical principles was, 

 doubtless, not merely to subdivide, but to make an entire reformation. 

 lUiger, with his usual judgment, perceived the evil and attempted its 

 remedy ; but his genus was still too extensive, and besides was not 

 natural, as it included the Wax-wings, a very distinct genus, that had 

 always been forced into others. The only advantage it possessed over 

 that of Latham, was, that all the species it comprised, exhibited its 

 artificial characters. As restricted by Brisson, Vieillot, and lately 

 adopted by Temminck, by whom it was previously much limited, it is 

 perfectly natural ; though we cannot help remarking that some even 

 of the eighteen species enumerated by the latter in his article on the 

 generalities of the Crows in the Planches ColoriSes, may again be sepa- 

 rated, such as Corvus columbianus (Wilson), which ought perhaps to 

 constitute a genus by itself. Vieillot, and other recent writers on 

 ornithology, have long since adopted the genus Grarrulus as distinct 

 even froni Pica, though we prefer retaining the latter merely as a sub- 

 genus of Grarrulus, since it is absolutely impossible to draw the line of 

 separation between them without resorting to minute and complicated 

 distinctions. 



The Jays and Magpies in fact require to be distinguished from the 

 Crows, as a genus, on account of their form, color, habits, and even 

 their osseous structure. Their upper mandible, somewhat inflected at 

 tip, and the navicular shape of the lower, afibrd obvious characteristic 

 marks. Their wings too are rather short, and do not reach by a con- 

 siderable space to the tip of the tail, which is long, and more or less 

 rounded, sometimes greatly wedge-shaped. On the contrary, the Crows 

 have long wings, reaching almost or quite to the extremity of the tail, 

 which is short, and even at tip. The identity in the shape of the wings 



