424 
SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS. — PA S SERES — OSCINES. 
at the larger end. In regions where Woodhouse's and the long-crested jays occur together, the 
latter lives chiefly in the pines, the former in the scrub-oak and other thickets. 
356* A. f. calif or'nica. (Of California.) California Jay. The dorsal patch light and distinct 
as in A. floridana, but the under parts, including tail-coverts and tibiae, nearly white ; gular 
streaks very large, aggregated, and white, causing the throat to be nearly uniform ; a white 
superciliary line, as in woodhousii, but no hoary on forehead ; bill slender. Thus it is seen that 
each of the three forms presents a varying emphasis of common characters. ^ 9 , adult : 
General color blue. Scapulars and interscapulars gray, with little if any tinge of blue ; rump 
and upper tail-coverts bluish-gray, usually mixed with some white. Forehead and nasal tufts 
blue like crown ; a sharp white superciliary stripe over and behind eye ; lores, eyelids, and 
auriculars blackish. Under parts from the breast soiled white, with little or no tinge of blue 
except on crissum ; breast appearing as if blue, overlaid with broad white stripes, which become 
continuous on throat and chin ; the breast is really white, in streaks edged with blue, and with 
a surrounding of blue in which the streaks are as if framed. Iris brown ; bill and feet black. 
Length 12.00 or less; wing 5.00 ; tail 5.50 ; bill 1.00; tarsus 1.50 ; middle toe and claw 1.25. 
In comparison with ivoodhousii, diiferences are seen in the well-defined gray dorsal patch ; the 
nearly white underparts without decidedly blue crissum ; and the broader and more continuously 
white gular streaks. The general habits, nest, and eggs are the same. 
357. A. ultramari'na arizo'nae. (Lat. ultramarina, beyond the sea, name of a blue color.) Ari- 
zona Jay. Belonging to a different section of the genus, distinguished by having the tail 
rather shorter than longer than the wings, the upper parts uniform blue, and no throat-streaks. 
^ 9 J adult : Above, light blue, purer on head, wings, and tail than on back, where rather 
dull. Beneath, sordid bluish-gray, bluest on breast, paler on throat, whitening on belly, 
■flanks, and crissum. Lores blackish ; orbits and auriculars dark. No superciliary stripe, nor 
decided streaks on throat or breast. Bill normally black, sometimes irregularly patched with 
whitish. Feet black. Length about 13.00; wing 6.25-6.75 ; tail 6.00-6.50, rounded, the 
lateral feathers graduated about 0.50 ; bill 1.25, 0.40 deep at base ; tarsus 1.67 ; middle toe and 
claw 1.33. Young : Little if any blue excepting on wings and tail, being dull gray above ; 
below, much like the adult. Bill flesh-colored on most of under mandible. Arizona, and 
probably New Mexico; N. to about 35°. (C. sordida, Bd., 1858 ; Coues, 1872, may be a 
variety of sordida, but it is probably going too far to bring in ultramarina, and make both 
this and arizonce varieties of sordida.) 
113. XANTHIJ/RA. (Gr. ^avOos, xanthos, yellow ; ovpa, oura, tail.) Green Jays. No crest. 
Wings short, much rounded, with lengthened inner secondaries folding nearly over the pri- 
maries. Tail longer than wings, graduated. Bill short and deep, with culmen curved from 
the base. Colors green and yellow, with black and blue on head. Several tropical species of 
these luxurious jays, one reaching our border. 
358. X. luxurio'sa. (Lat. luxuriosa, luxurious. Commonly written luxiiosa.) Rio Grande 
Jay. Adult ^ : Back and exposed surface of wings yellowish-green; inner webs of most of 
the quills blackish edged with clear yellow ; their shafts black above, yellow or whitish 
below ; lining of wings clear yellow. Four middle tail-feathers greenish-blue, at base little 
difi'erent from back, bluing toward ends ; these feathers, seen from below, quite black ; other 
tail-feathers all clear rich yellow, including their shafts. Under parts from the breast light 
greenish -yellow, yielding to pure yellow on middle of belly. Top of head and nasal plumules 
beautiful rich blue, yielding on forehead to hoary-white. Sides of head to above eyes, and 
whole chin, throat, and fore-breast jet black, enclosing a large triangular patch of blue on 
the side of the lower jaw, and blue touches on the eyelids. Bill and feet black. Length 
11.25-12.00; extent 14.50-15.50; wing 4.50-5.00; tail 5.25-5.75 ; tarsus 1.50; middle toe 
and claw 1.25 ; bill 1.00, very stout. 9 near the lesser of the dimensions given. This truly 
elegant bird is abundant in some localities in the Lower Rio Grande vaUey. Nest in bushes 
