BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 157 



edge of wings and tail white. Chin and throat yellow ; more or less yellow on sides 

 of head, and line over eye in some specimens yellowish. Bill arid feet dark ; iris 

 brown. Length about 7k inches; extent about 13^ inches. Female rather smaller. 

 Hab. North-eastern North America, Greenland, and northern parts of the Old 

 World ; in winter south in the eastern United States to the Carolinas, Illinois, etc, 



The Horned Lark is a somewhat common winter resident in eastern 

 Pennsylvania, It arrives in this region, from its northern breeding 

 grounds early in November, and remains until about the last week in 

 February. These birds during their residence with us, are usually found 

 in small parties of twelve or twenty, occasionally, however, flocks of a 

 hundred or more are seen. The Horned Larks frequent fields, or other 

 similar open situations, where seeds of different weeds and grasses are 

 procurable. When deep snows cover their favorite feeding grounds, 

 they oftentimes are observed in public roads, throughout the country 

 districts, searching for food ; they also at times when driven by hun- 

 ger visit barnyards. 



According to Nuttall their food consists of various kinds of seeds 

 which remain on the grass and weeds, and the eggs and dormant 

 larvae of insects, when they fall in their way. In the stomachs of 

 thirteen of these birds, taken in Chester and Delaware counties (Pa.), 

 I found that eleven had fed on different kinds of small seeds; two. in 

 addition to small seeds had fed on grain (particles of corn and oats). 



FAMILY CORVTD.ffi. CROWS AND JAYS. 



SUBFAMILY GARRULIN^E. JAYS. 

 GENUS CYANOCITTA. STRICKLAND. 

 477 Cyanocitta cristata. (Lrau.). 



Blue Jay. 



DESCRIPTION. {Plate 25.) 



Crest about one-third longer than the bill ; tail much graduated ; general color 

 above, light purplish-blue ; wings and tail feathers ultramarine-blue ; the second- 

 aries and tertials, the greater wing coverts, and the exposed 'surface of the tail, 

 sharply banded with black, and broadly tipped with white, except on the central 

 tail feathers ; beneath white : tinged with purplish-blue on the throat, and with 

 bluish-brown on the sides : a black crescent on the forepart of the breast, the horns 

 passing for\vard and connecting with a half-collar on the back of the neck ; a narrow 

 frontal line and loral region black ; leathers on the base of the bill blue, like the 

 crown. Female rather duller in color, and a little smaller ; iris, brown. Bill, legs 

 and feet black. Length about 12 inches ; extent about 16| inches. 



Ha!,. Eastern North America to the plains, and from the fur countries south to 

 Florida and eastern Texas. 



The Blue Jay is found in Pennsylvania, during all seasons of the 

 year, but in the autumn and summer months, this species is much 

 more plentiful than at other periods. This beautiful bird is an inhab 



