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SPECIES 6. COR VUTS CRITI TUS.
                       BLUE JAY.
                     [Plate I.-Fig 1.]
LINN. Syst. I, P. 106, So. 8, ed. 10.-Garrulus canadensis cm) u-
  leus, BRISS. ii, p. 55.-Pica glandaria cristata, KLEIN. 1o 61,
  3.-Le Geai bleu de 1'.3inerique Septentrionale, BUFF. iii, P.
  120. Pt. Enl. 529.-Blue JaqY, CATESB. C0  . I, 15.-EDw. 239.
  -.frct. Zool. ii, JV'o. 13oS.-LATH. Sync. i, p. 386, 20.-BARTRAM,
  p. 290.-PFALE'S MuseUw, .NYo. 1290.
  THIS elegant bird, which, as far as I can learn, is peculiar
to North America, is distinguished as a kind of beau among the
feathered tenants of our woods, by the brilliancy of his dress;
and like most other coxcombs, makes himself still more con-
spicuous by his loquacity, and the oddness of his tones and
gestures. The Jay measures eleven inches in length; the head
is ornamented with a crest of light blue or purple feathers, which
he can elevate or depress at pleasure; a narrow line of black
runs along the frontlet, rising on each side higher than the eye,
but not passing over it, as Catesby has represented, and as Pen-
nant and many others have described it; back and upper part of
the neck a fine light purple, in which the blue predominates; a
collar of black proceeding from the hind-head, passes with a
graceful curve down each side of the neck, to the upper part of
the breast, where it forms a crescent; chin, cheeks, throat and
belly, white, the three former slightly tinged with blue; greater
wing coverts a rich blue; exterior sides of the primaries light
blue, those of the secondaries a deep purple, except the three
feathers next the body, which are of a splendid light blue; all
these, except the primaries, are beautifully barred with cres-