JAY FAMILY. 47 
as one of our useful species, and protected by law and by public 
opinion.* 
JAY FAMILY. 
The jays have acquired a questionable reputation owing to the fact 
that they pilfer the nests of other birds and prey upon the farmer’s 
crops. That at times they are guilty of both of these sins can not be 
denied. On the first of these counts the California jay is far more 
culpable than its eastern relative and does entirely too much nest 
robbing for the best interests of the State. It is also a despoiler of 
fruit in its season, and in this respect should be restrained. On the 
other hand, jays are conspicuous and ornamental elements in the bird 
fauna, and inasmuch as they consume many harmful insects, should 
not be wholly condemned. 
Some half dozen species and subspecies of jays occur in California. 
The food of the two most important species is discussed in the fol- 
lowing pages. 
STELLER JAY. 
(Cyanocitta stelleri frontalis and carbonacea.) 
The Steller jay inhabits the mountains and forested areas of Cali- 
fornia throughout the year. It sometimes ventures to the edges of 
the valleys and occasionally visits orchards for a taste of fruit, of 
which it is very fond, but in general it keeps to the hills and wilder 
parts of the canyons. It is fond of coniferous trees and is likely to 
be found wherever these abound. Where ranches have been estab- 
lished far up the canyons among the hills, this jay visits the ranch 
buildings. While it has all the characteristics of the jay family, it is 
rather more shy than either the California jay or the eastern bluejay. 
To determine the nature of the food of this species, 93 stomachs 
were available. They were distributed over the whole year except 
February and April. The contents consisted of animal food to the 
extent of 28 percent, and vegetable matter 72 percent. 
Animal food.—Beetles amount to a little more than 8 percent: 
Carabide were found in 8 stomachs; all the others were of noxious 
species. One stomach was half filled with a species of weevil or snout 
beetle (Thricolepis inornata), of which 35 individuals were counted, 
and there were probably more. Hymenoptera amount to about 11 
percent and are the largest item of animal food. They were found in 
30 stomachs altogether, and 2 were entirely filled with them. Ants 
were found in only 2 stomachs. Three honey bees were identified, one 
in each of 3 stomachs. One was a worker, another a drone, and the 
@ For a more complete account of the food habits of the horned lark, see Bulletin 
No. 23, Biological Survey, U. S. Department of Agriculture, The Horned Larks and 
their Relation to Agriculture, by W. L. McAtee, 1905. 
