216 
ZOOLOGY. 
PERISOREUS CANADENSIS, Bonap. 
Canada Jay. 
Corvus canadensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 168.— Forster, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 382.— 'Wilson, Am. Orn. Ill, 
1811, 33; pi. xxi.— Bon. Obs. 1824, No. 42.— Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 63: Y, 1839, 208; 
pi. 107. 
Garrulus canadensis, Bon. (Saggio, 1831?) Syn. 1828, 58.— Swainson, F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 295.— Nuttall, Man. 
I, 1832, 232.— Aud. Syn. 1839, 155.— Ib. Birds Amer. IV, 1842, 121; pi. 234. 
Dysornithia canadensis, Swainson, F. Bor. Am. II, 1831. Appendix. 
Perisoreus canadensis, Bon. List, 1838.— Ib. Conspectus, 1850, 375.— Newberry, Bep. P. R. E. Surv. VI, iv, 1857, 
85.— Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, 590. 
Sp. Cii.—T ail graduated ; lateral feathers about one inch shortest. Wings a little shorter than the tail. Head and neck, 
and fore part of breast, white. A plumbeous brown nuchal patch, becoming darker behind, from the middle of the crown 
to the back, from which it is separated by an interrupted whitish collar. Rest of upper parts ashy plumbeous ; the outer 
primaries margined, the secondaries, tertials, and tail feathers obscurely tipped with white. Beneath smoky gray. Crissum 
whitish, iris brown, bill and feet black. Length, 10. 70 ; extent, 16. 50 ; wing, 5. 75 ; tail, 6. 00 ; tarsus, 1. 40. 
Hub —Northern America into the northern parts of United States from Atlantic to Pacific; more south in Rocky mountains. 
I first saw the Canada jay at the mouth of the Columbia river in March, 1854, when they 
were in a small scattered flock, industriously seeking in sectsand seed among the spruce trees, 
much in the manner of the titmice, occasionally whistling in a loud, melodious tone like the 
cardinal bird. I have always found them near the same place at all seasons, and, having shot 
a newly fledged young bird there in July, have no doubt they build in the vicinity. I have 
not observed the bird common in any other locality, but it seems to be well known in the 
country by the name of “meat bird” as it will watch hunters and pick at the deer or other 
meat they hang in the woods. They sometimes show great boldness in obtaining their favorite 
food. I have seen them enter a boat containing several persons to steal some salmon roe. It 
is commonly, however, a shy bird, remaining in the dense forest, where, in this Territory, it 
can usually obtain sufficient food. Its notes differ much from the other jays in being clear and 
musical, and they sometimes show considerable variety of song, though generally they are 
silent. They seem to prefer the spruce forests along the coast, but I have seen a few at Puget 
Sound.—C. 
The only specimen of the Canada jay seen by me on Puget Sound was obtained at Port 
Townsend, having been killed in the forest of firs and spruce trees near Point Wilson. I think 
that it is not a common species at the head of the sound, but prefers the more immediate 
vicinity of the ocean, probably on account of the different character of the forests there found. 
Mr. Robert Kennicott informs me that the vulgar name of this bird, common among hunters, 
“ Whiskey Jack,” is probably a corruption of its Chippewa name, ‘‘ Wiss-ka-chon,” which has 
been twisted by former “ mountain men” into whiskey John, and then whiskey Jack. —S. 
