288 Birds of Colorado 
83, p. 193; Drew 85, p. 16; Morrison 88, p. 107; 89, p. 147; Lowe 
94, p. 268; Bendire 92, p. 372; Cooke 97, p. 90; Henderson 03, 
p. 107; 09, p. 233; Rockwell 07, p. 81; Gilman 07, p. 155; Warren 
08, p. 22; 09, p. 15; Rockwell 08, p. 168; Cary 09, p. 182. 
Description.—Adult—General colour above azure-blue, the centre of 
the back and scapulars ashy-grey with a slight bluish tinge ; a narrow, 
interrupted white line above the eye and ear-coverts; below, the chin 
and throat ashy-white streaked with bluish, most strongly on the sides 
and breast; lower breast and abdomen ashy-grey, becoming tinged 
with blue on the under tail-coverts; iris brown, bill, legs and feet 
black. Length 10-25; wing 5-10; tail 5-40; culmen 1-0; tarsus 1-4, 
The female is like the male, but rather smaller—wing 5-0; the 
young bird has the crown ashy-grey and very little blue on the 
under-side. 
Distribution.— Western United States from south-eastern Oregon 
and southern Idaho south to Arizona, southern New Mexico and 
north-west Texas, chiefly in the transition zone. 
The Woodhouse Jay is a common resident throughout the western 
half of Colorado at moderate elevations, being seldom found above 
8,000 feet. It is common along the foothills in El Paso co., and has 
been recorded from nearly all the eastern foothill counties—from 
Boulder, where, however, it is quite rare, to Las Animas; it is also 
stated by Rockwell to be & common resident in Mesa co. on the west 
side of the range, at from 6,000 to 9,000 feet. It seldoms wanders 
east of the foothills, though stated by Cooke to have been observed 
by Captain Thorne at Fort Lyon in the Arkansas River valley in winter, 
and Aiken has reported it near Rocky Ford in September; Cary 
has recently observed troops of this species in the dense growth of 
cedars in north-west Baca co. in late November, and believes that 
they winter there. 
Habits——The Woodhouse Jay is found in brushwood 
and scrub, clothing the sides of rocky valleys and cafions, 
and seldom, if ever, in the thick forest. It is somewhat 
terrestrial in habits, keeping on or near the ground, 
searching for fruits and the seeds of pifions and oaks 
on which it principally subsists. It is most commonly 
seen in winter, when it frequents cultivated lands and 
the neighbourhood of houses and ranches, and when 
its harsh, grating cry is often heard; in summer it is 
much more silent and retiring. Rockwell considers that 
