Nov., 1918 



NESTING OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN JAY 



201 



During these proceedings I endeavored to discover with and without 

 glasses what the jay was picking up, and later made a very careful search but 

 found no trace of insect or other food. Indeed, I don't believe there was any 

 present. My companions had experiences somewhat similar to my own, seeing 

 a few birds, climbing trees, etc., but they secured nothing except an extremely 

 large cock dusky grouse. My mining friend, with a companion, made two sub- 

 sequent trips of a couple of days each, to this and to another promising loca- 

 tion. They found birds, but secured nothing. 



In early April, accompanied by assistants, I made another trip of over a 

 hundred and fifty miles, on the reports of a reliable friend that "camp rob- 

 bers" were apparently nesting. This trip resulted in collecting several sets of 

 the noisy, vociferous Pinyon Jay but nothing I went after. Numerous similar 

 trips in person or by proxy w T ere equally unproductive. 



In August, 1917, J. D. Figgins, Director of the Colorado Museum, captured 

 alive four Rocky Mountain Jays near Alma, Colorado, altitude 11,000 feet. On 



Fig. 38. At timberline in the mountains above Alma, Colorado; February, 1917. 



TYPE OF COUNTRY FREQUENTED BY THE RO CKY MOUNTAIN JAY. 



The 



arriving in Denver, they w T ere delivered to F. C. Lincoln, curator of birds. For 

 their reception he had provided a commodious wire screen cage, located on an 

 open porch on the shady side of his residence, and there they remained during 

 the winter. Following are extracts from Mr. Lincoln's report upon these birds, 

 made from memory and recently mailed to me from the army camp where he 

 is now located in service. 



"The birds, four in number, were received late in August. One died short- 

 ly after, from injuries received in transit, leaving but three. One of these had 

 the tip of the right wing broken, necessitating amputation, which readily 

 healed. This bird later proved most tame of the three. The cage was furnished 

 with a large bush, a swinging perch, a box high up in one corner, and, after 

 Christmas, with a small Douglas fir tree. The last mentioned w T as an immedi- 

 ate success, all the birds thereafter roosting in it. They were all practically 

 fearless from the start, but developed no degree of tameness. They were easily 



