their taste for
which, being so great that they are known to watch a nest until the full
complement of eggs is laid before making their theft. They nest in open
woods or clumps of trees, indifferently, in pines or young trees,
building most often below twenty feet from the ground; the nests are
made of twigs and rootlets, lined with fine rootlets. During May they
lay from four to six eggs of a greenish buff color spotted with olive
brown. Size 1.10 x .80.

477a. FLORIDA BLUE JAY. _Cyanocitta cristata florincola._

Range.--Florida and the Gulf coast.

The nesting habits and eggs of this smaller sub-species are the same as
those of the northern Blue Jay. Like our birds, they frequently nest
near habitations.

478. STELLER'S JAY. _Cyanocitta stelleri stelleri._

Range.--Pacific coast from southern California to Alaska; resident and
breeding throughout its range.

All the members of this sub-species are similar in plumage, having a
sooty black head, crest and neck, shading insensibly into dark bluish on
the back and underparts, and brighter blue on the wings and tail. They
usually have a few streaks or spots of pale blue on the forehead. They
are just as noisy, bold and thievish as the eastern Jay and are also
excellent mimics like the latter. They nest in fir trees at any height
from the ground and in April or May deposit their three to six greenish
blue eggs which are spotted with various shades of brown. Size 1.25 x
.90. Their nests are more bulky than those of the eastern Jay and are
usually made of larger sticks and held together with some mud.

478a. BLUE-FRONTED JAY. _Cyanocitta stelleri frontalis._

Range.--Coast ranges of California and Oregon.

The nesting habits and eggs of this variety are indistinguishable from
those of the preceding. The bird has more blue on the forehead.

478b. LONG-CRESTED JAY. _Cyanocitta stelleri diademata._

Range.--Southern Rocky Mountains from Arizona to Wyoming.

No general difference can be found between the eggs of this species and
the Steller Jay, and the nests of each are constructed similarly and in
like situations.

[Illustration 305: Blue Jay.]
[Illustration: Greenish buff.]
[Illustration: Greenish blue.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]

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[Illustration 306: Dr. J. B. Pardoe. YOUNG BLUE JAYS.]

Page 305

[Illustration 307: BLUE JAY.]

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478c. BLACK-HEADED JAY. _Cyanocitta stelleri annectens._

Range.--Northern Rocky Mounta