114 



THE BLUE JAY. 



corn cribs, where many are caught by the cat and the sons of the farmer. 

 Their movements on the wing are exceedingly graceful, and as they pass 

 from one tree to another, their expanded wings and tail, exhibiting all the 

 beauty of their graceful form and lovely tints, never fail to delight the 

 observer. 



Although this species proceeds up the Missouri river to the eastern 

 declivities of the Rocky Mountains, it is not found on the Columbia. Dr. 

 Richardson says that it "visits the Fur Countries, in summer, up to the 

 56th parallel, but seldom approaches the shores of Hudson's Bay." He is, 

 however, mistaken when he says that "it frequents the Southern States only 

 in winter;" for it is found there at all seasons, and breeds in every district 

 of them, as well as in the Texas, where I found it, although it was rare. The 

 eggs measure an inch and half an eighth in length, and seven-eighths in breadth. 



Blue Jay, Corvus cristatus, Wils. Amer. 



Orn., vol. i. p. 2. 

 Corvos cristatus, Bonap. Syn., p. 58. 

 Garrulus cristatus, Blue Jay, Swains, 



and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 293. 

 Blue Jay, Corvus cristatus, Aud. Orn. 



Biog., vol. ii. p. 11; vol. v. p. 475. 



Feathers of the head elongated, 

 oblong; tail much rounded. Upper 

 parts light purplish-blue; wings and 

 tail ultramarine, secondaries, their 

 coverts, and tail-feathers barred with 

 black, and tipped with white; a nar- 

 row band margining the forehead, 

 loral space, and a band round the 

 neck, black; throat and cheeks bluish- 

 white; lower parts greyish-white, 

 tinged with brown. 



Male, 12, 14. 



Breeds from Texas eastward and 

 northward to the Fur Countries, and 

 as far as the bases of the Rocky 

 Mountains^ Abundant. Resident in 

 the Middle, Interior, and Southern 

 States. 



The roof of the mouth is rather 

 flat, anteriorly with three ridges; 

 the lower mandible moderately con- 



