

THE COMMON JAV. 



The liritisli species is one of the most oruamoutul of our indigenous birds. It dwells 

 in woods, beyond the outskirts of which it seldom wanders. Its food consists of insects, 

 fruits, and forest seeds. 82>ecics of tins little group are found in every quarter of tlie 

 known world except New Holland. 



The jay builds its basket-like nest in trees or high cop]>ice wood and hedges, and lays 

 five or six eggs of a dull whitish olive, mottled very obsv^^urely with pale brown. 

 Towards the large end there aie usually (wo or three black lines. 



The jays rarely come into the open count i-y, but make great havoc in gardens and 

 cultivated giounds in the ncighbuuriiood of woodluids. Their food is much less varied 

 than tluit of (he true crows, but thev may still be stvlcd (imnivonius. Their plumage 

 is generally gay and even brilliant; and there is a beautiful specuhuii on the wing. 15ut 

 showy as the jay is, it is much more frecpumtly heard than seen ; nor is it easy to observe 

 it at all, for the more it is followed, the deeper does it plunge into the thick of the 

 coppice. The best place foi' a full view of it is where peas cir therrics grow near its 

 liaun(s, as wliile it greedily feeds on these its wary habits will alli)w of its being longer 

 watched than it may be inider other circumstances. 



Jays neither flock imr have meetings similar to those of the magpies, and some of 

 those crows that breed ajiarl fro7n e.ich other ; nor, though it has been observed in .some 

 instances, lias it been fully proved (hat the young remain with the old biids after they 



( Iiin iilii.. (i'l:inil:n'iii-i. 



