66 
GARRULUS STELLER1. 
or tinned with blue ; on the inner vane, the secondaries 
are blackish, but on the outer, they are deep glossy 
blue. The tail is five inches and a half long, and but 
slightly rounded ; it is of a deep glossy azure blue, more 
brilliant on the outer vanes of the feathers, the inner 
being slightly tinged with dusky ; an indication of 
obliterated, transverse blackish lines, may be perceived 
in certain lights on almost all the tail-feathers in our 
specimen, and we have no doubt that on others they are 
more marked ; the shafts both of the quills and tail- 
feathers are black. The tarsus is an inch and three 
quarters long ; the femorals, blackish, slightly mixed with 
bluish at the joint ; the feet and nails are entirely black. 
This description is taken from an individual which was 
killed near the Oregan, or Columbia river. Another 
specimen, from Mexico, also in Mr Leadbeater’s collec- 
tion, exhibited greater brilliancy of plumage, being 
principally distinguished, as nearly as our recollection 
serves, by the black colour of the anterior parts being 
less extended, and by having more of silvery bluish 
(indicated in our bird) on the front, extending to 
the throat and eyebrows, and somewhat round the head. 
This, without any hesitation, we considered as a more 
perfect specimen, a mere variety of age, and would have 
had our figure made from it : but having been informed 
that an English ornithologist (his name and that of the 
species were not mentioned, or, if they were, we have 
forgotten them) considered it as a new Mexican species, 
we have preferred, notwithstanding our conviction, 
strictly copying the less brilliant specimen procured in 
the United States territory, to the more beautiful one 
from Mexico. The appearance of Garrulus coronatus of 
Mr Swainson, in the Synopsis before quoted, reminded 
us of the circumstance, and we have therefore quoted it 
with doubt. Our two birds agree perfectly in markings 
and dimensions. Of the habits of the Steller’s jay, 
little or nothing is known. It inhabits the western 
territory of the United States, beyond the Rocky 
Mountains, extending along the western coasts of 
North America, at least from California to Nootka 
