328 CANADA JAY. 



sounding so uncanny among the gloomy evergreens, have surrounded the iDird with an 

 atmosphere of mythic interest. According to Archbishop Tache, AYesakedjan is the name 

 of the coot and of the fabulous being who takes part in all Indian legends. Almost the 

 only musical sound that I have heard it utter is a metallic chuck chuck, not unlike that 

 produced by the Robin. The unmusical notes are so numerous that one is almost safe 

 to attribute to the AVis-ka-chon any imaccountable screams that may be heard within 

 the presence of a spruce woods." 



These birds prefer to place their nests in evergreens, fi'om five to thirty feet from 

 the ground. They are built of twigs, strips of bark, needles of the white pine, g^-asses, 

 etc., and are lined with fine bark-strips and especially with feathers. In the Gogebic 

 region they nest as early as March 20, but most of the nests are found in April. The 

 eggs, four to five in number, are yellowish-gray, finely spotted and dotted with slate 

 and dark brown and faint cloudings of lilac. The markings are most abundant on the 

 largest end. 



SCIENTIFIC NAMES: Corvus canadensis Unn. (17GG). Garrulas canadensis Bonap. (182S). PBRISOREUS 

 CANADENSIS Bonap. (1838). 



DESCRIPTION: "Head and neck and forepart of breast, white. A rather sooty plumbeous nuchal patch> 

 becoming darker behind, froxn the middle of the cap to the back, from which it is separated by an 

 interrupted whitish collar. Rest of upper parts, dark ashy-plnmheous ; the outer primaries margined, 

 the secondaries, tertials, and tail-feathers obscurely tipped with white. Beneath, smoky-gray. Crissum, 

 whitish. Bill and feet, black. 



"Length, 10.70 inches; .wing. 4.75; tail, 6.00 inches." (B. B. & R. II, p. 299.) 



There are some veiy similar local forms: 



The Rocky Mountain Jay, Perisoreus canadensis capitalis Ridgway, inhabits the 

 mountain range which its name implies, especially Colorado and the northern part of 

 New Mexico. In the breeding season it is found in the spruces and other conifers, from 

 8,000 feet up to timber line. It is said to be "as big a thief as ever wore feathers." 

 This sub-species is also known as the White-headed Jay. 



The Alaskan Jay, P. canadensis fumifrons Ridow., is an inhabitant of Alaska, 

 except the southern coast district. 



The Labrador Jay, P. canadensis nigricapillus Ridgw., a third variety of the 

 Canada Jay, is found in the coast district of Labrador, north to Ungava Bay. 



The Oregon Jay, P. obscurus Sharpe, is a good species, inhabiting the coast 

 region from Humboldt Bay, in California, north to British Columbia. According to 

 Mr. A. W. Anthony this species is a common winter resident of Washington Co., Ore. 

 In March it departs to the mountains to breed. He characterizes this Jay as a bird 

 utterly devoid of fear. While dressing deer in the thick forest, he has been almost 

 covered with these birds. They would alight on his back, head, and shoulders, and 

 there tug and pull at each loose shred of his coat as if assisting him in all ways possible. 

 A nest found by him March 31, 1884, was placed about eight3'-five feet from the ground, 

 in a fir, and was well concealed. It was placed close against the trunk, and was built 

 of sticks, twigs, and moss, rather loosely put together, lined with cow-hair, wool, and 

 one or two Goose feathers. The eggs Avere light blue, with a grayish cast, thickly 

 covered with spots of brown and lilac, chiefly on the larger end. 



