108 
STELLER’S JAY. 
colour, with small olive-brown specks, varied with others of rather a violet 
hue, both the male and female flew at me with the utmost anger and agita- 
tion, deafening me almost with their cries and entreaties. But though I 
took only two of their eggs, I found next day that they had forsaken the 
nest, being too fearful and jealous of the intrusion to remain any longer in 
the same place. The nest as usual was bulky, made of interlaced twigs, 
and roots, with a stout layer of mud, and lined with black root-fibres. I 
saw the nest about ten days previous to the time of taking two of the four 
eggs. On that occasion the female (probably) only followed me in silence.” 
Corvus Stelleri, Gmel. Linn. Syst. Nat., vol. i. p. 3*70. 
Corvus Stelleri, Bonap. Syn., p. 433. 
Steller’s Jay, Corvus Stelleri , Bonap. Amer. Orn., vol. ii. p. 44. 
Garrulus Stelleri, S teller s Jay , Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 294. 
Steller’s Jay, Nutt. Main, vol. ii. p. 229. 
Steller’s Jay, Corvus Stelleri, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iv. p. 453. 
Male, 18, wing, 5H- 
Rocky Mountains, Columbia river, and North-west coast. Common. 
Migratory. 
Adult Male. 
Bill shorter than the head, strong, straight, a little compressed ; upper 
mandible with the dorsal line declinate and convex toward the end, the 
sides sloping and becoming more convex toward the tip, which is declinate, 
thin edged and obtuse, the edges sharp and overlapping, with a slight 
notch ; lower mandible straight, the angle short and broad, the dorsal out- 
line ascending and slightly convex, the sides convex, the edges sharp and 
directed outwards, the tip narrow. -Nostrils'basal, roundish, covered by 
reversed bristly feathers. 
Head large, ovate, eyes of moderate size ; neck rather short ; body com- 
pact. Legs of moderate length, strong ; tarsus much compressed, with 
seven large anterior scutella, and two long plates behind, meeting so as to 
form a sharp edge. Toes stout, with large scutella, the outer adherent as 
far as its second joint to the middle toe ; first very strong ; lateral toes 
nearly equal, third much longer. Claws strong, arched, compressed, sharp. 
Plumage full, soft, blended ; stiff bristly feathers with disunited barbs over 
the nostrils, some of them extending a third of the length of the bill ; at the 
base of the upper mandible several longish slender bristles. The feathers 
on the top of the head and occiput linear-oblong, slightly recurved, and 
forming an erectile crest an inch and a half in length. Wings of moderate 
length, convex, and much rounded ; the first quill very short, the second an 
inch and a quarter longer, the third nine-twelfths longer than the second, 
