ZOOLOGY. 



NOTES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE COMMON JAY 



IN SCOTLAND. 



By JAMES LUMSDEN, J UN., F. Z. S. 



THE Common Jay ( Garrulus glandarius) is a well-known 

 bird in many parts of the continent, and is met with in 

 nearly every county in England, both as a migratory and breed- 

 ing species. According to Mr. J. H. Guerney,« it is a regular 

 autumnal migrant to the eastern coasts. 



In Scotland, however, its distribution is more local. Mac- 

 gillivray gives its northern limit b "in the woods skirting the 

 Grampians from Forfar to Dumbarton." But it appears to be 

 somewhat extending its range, as it has occasionally occurred 

 in districts north of that line. It has once been observed in 

 Shetland/ and also in Caithness. In Orkney, however, we 

 have no trace of it, and it is not mentioned by Mr. Low in his 

 " Fauna Orcadensis." Neither have we heard of it ever having 

 been observed in the Outer Hebrides, or any of the western 

 islands. 



In collecting the following notes, I have to express myself 

 indebted to the many correspondents who have so kindly and 

 readily answered my questions about the occurrence of the 

 Jay in their respective districts. Besides those, I must specially 

 mention the following gentlemen who collected and forwarded 

 me information from various parts of the country : Sir George 

 H. Leith ; John Gilmour, Esq. of Lundin, Fifeshire ; The Rev. 

 James E. Somerville ; Mr. Henderson, of Dundee ; and the 



a Harting's Handbook of British Birds, p. 32. 



b A. G. More on " The Distribution of Birds in Great Britain during the 

 nesting season." 



c Birds of Shetland, p. i38. 



