NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



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176. Yellow-billed Magpie (Cheney del.) 



the branches of a lonely forest tree, in the trees of orchards, in those bordering 

 quiet roadways or lanes, and, where the bird is not molested it is commonly placed 

 not far trom dwelling-houses, ini trees or bushes. The nest is large, and the ma- 

 terials used are various — twigs, leaves, roots and vegetable fibres rudely but strongly 

 interwoven; often paper, rags, wool and yarn enter into its composition. The eggs 

 are four or five in number, olive-brown or olive-drab, thickly spotted with dark 

 olive-brown. In some specimens the ground-color is light or dark green, similar to- 

 that in the eggs of the California Jay, in which the markings stand out in strong 

 contrast. Ten eggs exhibit the following sizes: 1.02x.84, 1.06x.84, l.lOx.87, l.llx.Sd,. 

 1.12X.82, 1.15X.83, 1.14x.84, 1.12x.83, 1.18x.86, 1.18x.86; one runt egg measures .76x.60.. 

 The following concerning this bird's food is from Deal's "Some Common Birds":* 

 "The Blue Jay is a common bird of the United States east of the Great Plains, and 

 remains' throughout the year in most of its range, although its numbers are som^T^ .^ 

 what reduced ini winter in the Northern States. During spring and summer the Jay 

 Is forced to become an industrious hunter for Insects, and is hot so conspicuous a 

 feature of the landscape as when it roams the country at will after the cares of the 

 nesting season are over. Ornithologists and field observers in general declare that 

 a considerable portion of its food in spring and early summer consists of the eggs 

 and young pf small birds, and some farmers accuse it of stealing corn to an injurious 

 extent in the fall. While there may be some truth in these accusations, they have 



* U. S. Department of Agriculture. Farmers' Bulletin No. 54. Some Common Birds 

 In Their Relation to Agriculture. By P. E. L. Beal, B. S., Assistant Ornithologist, Biological 

 Survey. May, 1897. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1897. 



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