196 
BLUE JAY. 
birds, said to be of the same species, either the former are very- 
erroneous, or the difference of plumage and habits in the latter 
justify us in considering a great proportion of them to be really 
distinct species. Be this however as it may, the Blue Jay ap- 
pears to belong exclusively to North America. I cannot find 
it mentioned by any writer or traveller among the birds of 
Guiana, Brazil, or any other part of South America. It is 
equally unknown in Africa. In Europe, and even in the east- 
ern parts of Asia, it is never seen in its wild state. To ascer- 
tain the exact limits of its native regions would be difficult. 
These, it is highly probable, will be found to be bounded by 
the extremities of the temperate zone. Dr. Latham has indeed 
asserted, that the Blue Jay of America is not found farther north 
than the town of Albany. * This, however, is a mistake. They 
are common in the eastern states, and are mentioned by Dr. 
Belknap in his enumeration of the birds of New Hampshire.! 
They are also natives of Newfoundland. I myself have seen 
them in Upper Canada. Blue Jays and Yellow-birds were found 
by Mr. M‘Kenzie, when on his journey across the continent, 
at the head waters of the Unjigah, or Peace river, in N. lat. 
54°, W. long. 121°, on the west side of the great range of Stony 
mountains. § Steller, who in 1741 accompanied captain Beh- 
ring in his expedition for the discovery of the north-west coast 
of America, and who wrote the journal of the voyage, relates, 
that he himself went on shore near cape St. Elias, in N. lat. 
58° 28'. W. long. 141° 46', according to his estimation, where 
he observed several species of birds not known in Siberia; 
and one, in particular, described by Catesby under the name 
of the Blue Jay. |1 Mr. William Bartram informs me, that they 
are numerous in the peninsula of Florida, and that he also found 
them at Natchez, on the Mississippi. Captains Lewis and Clark, 
and their intrepid companions, in their memorable expedition 
across the continent of North America to the Pacific ocean, 
* Synopsis, vol. i, p. 387. f Hist. N. Hamp. vol. iii, p. 163. 
§ Voyage from Montreal, &c. p. 216, quarto, Lond. 1801. 
II See Steller’s Journal apud Pallas, 
