384 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMEEIOAN BIRDS. 



The "Pajaro verde," as this bird is called by the Spanish-speaking popula- 

 tion of this region, is a common resident throughout the heavier-timbered river 

 bottoms and the chaparral bordering the Rio Grande, especially in the vicinity 

 of Hidalgo and Lomita, and breeds wherever found. 



Dr. James C. Merrill, United States Army, in speaking of this species, says: 

 "The Rio Grrande Jay is a common resident about Fort Brown and higher up 

 the river, but does not seem to pass much into the interior of Texas. It is a 

 noisy and gaudy species, soon making its presence known by its harsh cries or 

 by its green and yellow plumage, seen for a moment as it moves about. Though 

 at times shy, it is often very tame and bold, entering tents and taking food off 

 of plates or from the kitchen, whenever a good opportunity offers. Large num- 

 bers are caught by the soldiers in traps baited with corn, but the plumage is 

 their only attraction as a cage bird."^ 



There is little or no difference in the general habits of the Grreen Jay from 

 those of the other members of this family. 



Mr. George B. Sennett says: "Of all the birds on the lower Rio Grande, 

 this is the most mischievous, robbing and despoiling other birds' nests without 

 mercy." ^ 



Very little has as yet, been recorded regarding the food of this Jay, except- 

 ing what 1 have already mentioned, but it is presumable that it does not vary 

 much from that of our better-known species. The nesting season commences 

 early in April and lasts through May. The first nest and eggs brought to the 

 attention of naturalists, as far as I am aware, are those taken by Dr. Merrill on 

 May 27, 1876, near Edinburg (now Hidalgo), Texas, about 70 miles above Fort 

 Brown, on the Rio Grande, and recorded in the "Bulletin of the NuttaU Orni- 

 thological Club, 1876" (Vol. I, p. 89). This is described as follows: "It was 

 placed on the horizontal branch of a waican tree, about 25 feet from the ground, 

 and was built of twigs and rootlets. The cavity was slight, and the entire 

 structure so thin that the eggs could be seen through the bottom. They were 

 three in number and quite fresh." 



Two nests now in the United States National Museum collection resemble 

 the above, and are frailer than any other Jays' nests I have ever seen. They 

 do not always build such slight structures, however. Mr. Sennett describes 

 one as follows: "The nest of the Jay was some 9 feet from the ground, on the 

 outer branches of a small tree, and composed wholly of sticks and fine twigs. 

 The sticks were so full of thorns that when they were crossed about among the 

 living branches more firmness was given to the nest than usual, and by cutting 

 off the branches I could readily take it entire. The outside diameter is 9 inches 

 one way by 8 the other; its depth is 4 inches; inside it is 3 J inches wide by 2 

 inches deep."^ 



The nests are generally placed in dense thickets and well hidden among 

 the branches at heights varying usually from 5 to 10 feet from the ground, and 



> Prooeediugs of the U. S. National Museum, Vol. I, 1878, p. 136. 

 ^Bulletin of the U. S. Geological Survey, 1879, Vol. V, No. 3, p. 400. 

 ' U. S. Geological Survey, 1878. Vol. IV, No. 1, p. 30. 



