BLUE JAY. 



273 



know. They are supposed to indicate future joj' or sorrow to the 

 wayfarer,"'^according to the number he sees together, the idea being 

 thus expressed in popular rhyme : 



" One, niii-th ; 

 Two, grief ; 

 Three, a wedding ; 

 Four, a death." 



Genus CYANOCITTA Strickland. 

 CYANOCITTA CRISTATA. (Linn.). 



197 



Blue Jay. (477) 



Pui-plish-blue; below, pale gray, whitening on the throat, bell}' andcrissuni; 

 a'black collar across the lower throat and up the sides of the neck and head 

 behind the crest, and a black frontlet V)0rdered with whitisii ; wings and tail, 

 pure rich blue, with black bars, the greate)' coverts, secondaries and tail 

 feathers, except the central, broa<lly tipped with pure white ; tail, much 

 rounded, the graduation over an inch. Length, 11-12; wing, .5^ ; tail, 5 J. 



Hae. — Eastei-n North America to the Plains, and from the fur countries 

 south to eastern Texas. 



Nest, in trees or bushes, built of sticks, lined with weeds, grasses and other 

 .soft material. 



Eggs, four or five, varialile in color, usually clay color with brown spots. 



18 



