10 BLUE JAY.
and erectile into a tuft. Wings short, first quill very short, fourth and
fifth longest. Tail much rounded or wedge-shaped "at the extremity, rather
long, of twelve rounded feathers.
Bill and feet brownish-black. Iris brown. The general colour of the
upper parts is a beautiful bright purplish-blue; the ends of the secondary
coverts, secondary quills and tail feathers white; the larger wing-coverts,
secondary quills, and tail transversely barred with black. Feathers along
the base of upper mandible black, and a broad band of the same colour
from the occiput, passing behind the eye, down to the lower part of the
neck, forming a kind of curved collar. Sides of the head pale blue, throat
white. The lower parts are whitish, tinged on the breast and under the
wings with reddish-brown.
Length 1 2 inches, extent of wings 1 4 ; bill £ ; tarsus 1 T
2
? , middle toe
nearly the same.
Adult Female. Plate CII. Fig. 3 , 4 .
The female scarcely differs in appearance from the male, being merely
somewhat smaller, with the blue of the upper parts less rich, and the
breast more tinged with brown.
THE TRUMPET-FLOWER.
BIGNONIA HADICANS. Pursh. Flor. Amer. vol ii. p. 420.
The plant on which this Jay is represented, has been already noticed
at p. 2 5 4 of vol. i.
( 17 >
T H E C A N A D A F L Y C A T C H E R
MUSCICAPA CANADENSIS, LlNN.
P L A T E C I I I . MALE AND FEMALE.
WHAT a beautiful object, in the delightful season of spring, is our
Great Laurel, covered with its tufts of richly, yet delicately, coloured
flowers! In imagination I am at this moment rambling along the banks
of some murmuring streamlet, overshadowed by the thick foliage of this
o-oreeous ornament of our mountainous districts. Methinks I see the
timid trout eyeing my movements from beneath his rocky covert, while
the warblers and other sylvan choristers, equally fond of their wild retreats,
are skipping in all the freedom of nature around me. Delightful
moments have been to me those when, seated in such a place, with senses
all intent, I gazed on the rosy tints of the flowers that seemed to acquire
additional colouring from the golden rays of the sun, as he rode proudly
over the towering mountains, drawing aside as it were the sable curtain
that till now hung over the landscape, and drying up, with the gentleness
of a parent towards his cherished offspring, the dewy tears that
glittered on each drooping plant. Would that I could describe to you the
thoughts that on such a morning have filled my whole soul; but alas, I
have not words wherewith to express the feelings of gratitude, love, and
wonder that thrilled and glowed in my bosom ! I must therefore content
myself with requesting you to look at the blossoms of the laurel as depicted
in the plate, together with two of the birds, which, in pairs, side by
side, are fond of residing among its glossy and verdant foliage.
A comparison of the plate in which I have represented tin's interesting
species, with that exhibiting the bird named by me the Bonaparte
Flycatcher,* will suffice to convince you, good reader, that these birds
are truly distinct. My excellent friend Mr WILLIAM SWAINSON, is
quite correct, when, after describing the present species, he says, " we
can perceive no character, either in the figure or the description of W I L SON,
which does not accord with our bird," but is certainly mistaken in
supposing me to have informed him that the Canada Flycatcher and that
named after the Prince of Musignano, are one and the samef.
* Birds of America, voL i. PI. V. + Fauna Boreali Americana, p, 225. Note.
VOL. II. a