THE-C9HD9R 



Volume XX November-December, 1918 Number 



NESTING OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN JAY 



By W. C. BRADBURY 



WITH ELEVEN PHOTOS 



MY ACQUAINTANCE with the Rocky Mountain Jay (Perisoreus cana- 

 densis capitalis) has extended over a period of years, during many hunt- 

 ing, fishing and other trips into its habitat, the mountains of Colorado. 

 The birds were ever most welcome guests and were entertained lavishly or else 

 helped themselves to what they could find. (See figs. 35, 36, and 37.) While 

 seemingly profuse in thanks, and appreciative of hospitality, when it came to 

 reciprocation — well they are "pro-Germans". 



Should I attempt to recite in detail the efforts made, during the past five 

 years, to secure nests, eggs and breeding data, and the failures experienced, 

 your business manager would doubtless charge me double first-class advertis- 

 ing rates for insertion in The Condor, and such insertion would doubtless cost 

 you the loss of many good subscribers. This neither of us can afford. I have 

 talked and corresponded with scores of mine managers, mining engineers, pros- 

 pectors, guides, trappers and many other winter residents and visitors to the 

 mountains, and have sent special men each season, until this year (1918), only 

 to acquire experience. 



Among those interested was Judge S. M. Blair of Breckinridge, an old 

 friend and associate of Edwin Carter, who claimed to have collected for the lat- 

 ter two sets of Rocky Mountain Jay's eggs in 1879. (See Bendire's Life His- 

 tories of North American Birds, 1895, page 388.) The judge interested local 

 miners and others, and despite his years, made several personal, though unsuc- 

 cessful trips on snow shoes to reported nests. 



The advice I gave every one that I believed these jays nested in March and 

 April, subjected me to more or less "jollying" from alleged friends; possibly 

 a few excerpts from replies will be permissible. 



DEC 2 3 1918 



