322 STELLER'S JAY. 



The Blue-fronted Jay, C. stelleri frontalis Boucard, is found in the southern 

 coast ranges and the Sierra Nevada of California and western Nevada, from Fort Crook 

 south to Lower California. 



The Black-headed Jay, C. stelleri annectens Ridgway, is an inhabitant of the 

 northern Rocky Mountains, south to the Wahsatch Range, west to eastern Oregon and 

 Washington. 



The Long-crested Jay, C. stelleri marcrolopha Codes, represents the foregoing in 

 the southern Rocky Mountains, especially in southern Arizona and north-western Mexico.- 



It may suffice to treat more fully of this last variety, as all the others agree with 

 it in every respect. 



"Having enjoyed excellent facilities," writes Dr. Elliott Coues in his classical way, 

 "for studying the habits and manners of the Long-crested Jay in the pine-clad mountains 

 of Arizona, I offered, on a previous occasion, an account substantially as follows : When 

 I w^as traveling westward, in the spring of 1864, 1 saw some of these Jays in the Raton 

 Mountains, in New Mexico, which I believe to be about their eastern limit, at least in 

 this latitude, for they were strongly attached to pine-clad mountains, and are found as 

 high up as timber grows. In crossing the Rocky Mountains, through Whipple's Pass, 

 I did not happen to meet with any; to the westward still, in the lofty forests of the 

 San Francisco Mountains, they were abundant, and at that time (July) had just reared 

 their families, and were rambling through the tops of the trees together. The old birds 

 were in sorry plight, literally with a 'crest-fallen' air, and ftiU of pin-feathers. But wheri 

 I came across them the third time, in the pineries about Fort Whipple, they were in 

 good trim once more, and saucy as ever. They live in the mountainous parts of Arizona 

 all the year, for they are able to endure severe cold, being of hardy nature, and well 

 clothed with soft, thick plumage, while their food is such as can be procured at any 

 season. Thus being non-migratory, their permanent habitat may be given with some 

 accuracy ; it includes the wooded Rocky Mountain region at large. . . . 



"All Jays make their share of noise in the world; they fret and scold about trifles,- 

 quarrel over anything, and keep everything in a ferment when they are about. The 

 particular kind we are now talking about is nowise behind his fellows in these respects — 

 a stranger to modesty and forbearance, and the many gentle quaUties that charm us 

 in some little birds and endear them to us; he is a regular filibuster, ready for any 

 sort of adventure that promises sport or spoil, even if spiced with danger. Sometimes 

 he prowls about alone, but oftener has a band of choice spirits with him, who keep 

 each other in countenance (for our Jay is a coward at heart, like other bullies) and 

 share the plunder on the usual terms in such cases, of each one taking all he can get. 

 Once I had a chance of seeing a band of these guerrillas on a raid ; they went at it in 

 good style, but came off very badly indeed. A vagabond troop made a descent upon 

 a bush clump, where, probably, they expected to find eggs to suck, or at any rate a 

 chance for mischief and amusement. To their intense joy, they surprised a littlfe Owl 

 quietly digesting his grasshoppers, with both eyes shut. Here was a lark ! and a charid^ 

 to wipe out a part of the score that the Jays keep against Owls for injuries received- 

 time out of mind. In the tumult that ensued, the little birds scurried off, the Wood- 

 peckers overhead stopped tapping to look on, and a snake that was basking in a sunfl^' 



