The Santa Cruz Jay 



surcharged feelings. But this 

 jay is capable of vigorous ex- 

 pression, and the variety and 

 suggestive affinity of its notes 

 are worth consideration. There 

 is, first, the Aphelocomine scold- 

 ing cry of common use, but this 

 is fuller, rounder, and much less 

 harsh. Then there is a djay djay 

 note which distinctly recalls that 

 of Cyanocitta stelleri. Lastly, 

 this note is so modified and 

 accelerated as to strikingly 

 simulate the rickety rack rack 

 rack or shack shack shack shack 

 shack of the Magpies. I know 

 the Magpie's voice better than 

 the baying of a hound, but I 

 have leaped to my feet and 

 reached for the glasses at this 

 jack jack call before realizing 

 that there are no Magpies on 

 Santa Cruz Island. And lastly, 

 again (a preacher's "lastly" may 

 be repeated indefinitely, so why 

 not an ornithologist's?), some 

 sotto voce musings lead me to 

 believe that the bird is capable 

 of real song. Exquisite warb- 

 lings have I heard at a rod's 

 remove, so delicate that a Wren's 

 outburst would have drowned 

 them utterly, but so musical 

 that I had hoped the bird was 

 only tuning his strings in prepa- 

 ration for a rhapsody. 



All these comparisons lead 

 one to ask where this most for- 

 tunate of Blue Jays got his gifts. 

 He has seen neither magpies nor 

 crested jays for ages. Are not 

 these startling variants of song really primal? Is not this the authentic 

 heir of the original cyano-corvine traits, narrowed and singled elsewhere 

 60 



Taken on Santa Cruz Island 



THE SENTINEL 



Photo by the Author 



