34 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



were found by Prof. Nevvstead to be full of shelled acorns. A 

 little oats and wheat is also eaten. In spring the Jay is an egg- 

 thief, victimising small birds and even wild ducks and Pheasants ; 

 a trap baited with a Pheasant's egg frequently outwits the cunning 

 Jay. On the other hand the bird destroys pests ; Prof. Newstead 

 counted the fragmentary remains of at least 127 click-beetles — 

 " wire-worms " in their larval stage — in the stomach of one bird 

 killed in April, and another, shot on the nest, contained 120 

 larvi^ of the destructive winter moth. In spite of its habitual 

 caution the Jay will raid gardens, especially when peas or fruit 

 are ripe. One habit, shared by the Pie and others of the 

 group, is that of burying nuts, acorns or even inedible objects ; 

 this has been described as hoarding, but its treasures are 

 usually buried separately and probably seldom recovered. 



A small tree, bush or hedgerow is the usual site for the nest 

 (Plate 8), which is open and less bulky and compact than that 

 of the Pie ; it is lined with roots and Avell concealed. One 

 brood of five to seven is reared in late April or May. A 

 common type of the small-sized egg is light buff finely speckled 

 with pale brown and grey, often with a few irregular lines at 

 the larger end (Plate 15); as Yarrell remarks, not unlike a 

 gigantic egg of the Sedge-Warbler. 



The British Jay has an erectile white crest streaked with 

 black ; the rest of the head, back and breast are vinaceous- 

 brown ; the chin, throat, belly and a large area surrounding 

 the base of the tail are pure white, this last sharply contrasted 

 with the brown-black tail. At the base of the bill is a con- 

 spicuous black moustachial streak or patch. The wings are 

 black, white and chestnut, with beautiful black, white and 

 blue barred feathers on the coverts. These, largely used for 

 artificial flies, frequently decorate the hat-brims of gamekeepers. 

 The sexes are alike. Before the moult in autumn the general 

 colour, through abrasion, is browner and less pink-tinged, and 

 the colour of the young is duller. The bill is dark horn ; the 



