NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 325 



bushes, but generally artfully concealed In a bunch of rubbish at the top of a pine or 

 spruce. It is rather large and coarse, made of small sticks, and weed-stalks, with 

 little or no lining. Nests with eggs have been found all through June. The eggs 

 range from three to six in number, four or five being most commonly found. They 

 are of a light green, -with fine markings of dark olive-brown and lighter cloudings 

 of purplish or violet-brown, and in shape are more elongated than those of the 

 Blue Jay. Their size ranges from 1.20 to 1.32 in length by .80 to .89 in breadth. 



478c. BLACE-HEABED JAY. Cyanoeitta stelleri annectens (Baird.) Geog.- 

 Dist. — Northern Rocky Mountains, south Wasatch range, west to Eastern Oregon 

 and Washington. 



A resident of the northern Rocky Mountain region of the United States, and 

 doubtless also in similar localities in the southern portions of British North 

 America, in Eastern British Columbia, and in the Province of Alberta. It was 

 found breeding in Parley's Park, Wasatch Mountains, Utah, June 25, by Mr. Robert 

 Ridgway. The nest was placed in a small fir on the edge of a wood. It was saddled 

 on a horizontal branch, about fifteen feet from the ground, and contained. six eggs. 

 The base of the nest was composed of coarse, strong sticks, rudely put together.' 

 Uponi this was constructed a solid, firm plastering of mud of a uniform concave 

 shape, lined with fine wiry roots. The sizes of three eggs of the set found by Mr. 

 Ridgway are given by the late Major Bendire as follows: 1.24x.84, 1.26x.86, 1.26x.88 

 inches. They resemble in every particular those of the Long-crested Jay. 



479. PLOEIDA JAY. Aphcloeoma floridana (Bartr.) ' Geog. Dist.— Florida. 

 The geographical distribution of this beautiful species is confined to the limited 



are^ of Florida. In some districts it is abundant, while in others it is extremely 

 rare, Mr. Stuart regards it as not very abundant in the regioa about Tampa, where 

 it nests in March and April, usually among a thick growth of bushes. The nest is 

 a fiat, compact structure, composed of leaves, small dry sticks, lined with moss, 

 roots, fibrous plant-stems and often with wool and feathers. The eggs of the 

 genus Aphelocoma usually have more of a greenish ground and heavier markings 

 than those of Cyanoeitta. Mr. Stuart says that four or five eggs are generally laid by 

 the Florida Jay, of a light blue or greenish ground, sparingly sprinkled with rufous 

 and black, the spots being larger and more numerous towards the larger end; 

 average size, l.OOx.80. 



480. WOODHOtrSE'S JAY. Aplielocoma tcoodUouscii (Baird.) Geog. Dist.— 

 Western United States, from the desert ranges of Southern California north to 

 Eastern Oregon, east to Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico, and south 

 to Northern Mexico. 



Woodhouse's Jay is more or less common throughout the States and Territories 

 mentioned in tbe above habitat. It is generally not so abundant as the Long- 

 crested Jay, and frequents the scrub-oak and other thickets on the open hillsides. 

 The nest is built In bushes and thickets, or in low trees of thick foliage, and from 

 three to six eggs are deposited. Mr. Norris has a set of five eggs of this species, 

 taken in Weber county, Utah, April 10, 1888. The nest from which the eggs were 

 (■aken was placed in a sage bush two feet from the ground, an-d was composed of 

 twigs, lined with fine roots and hair. The eggs were fresh, and are of a pale 

 bluish-green, spotted with burnt umber and lavender-gray. They measure 1.03x.80, 

 l.Olx.80, 1.07X.80, 1.02X.82, i.05x.80. The average size is 1.06x.80. 



