578 GARRULUS GLANDARIUS. 



black spot ; from the base of the lower mandible on each side 

 is a broad band of black about an inch long. The most con- 

 spicuous trait of the plumage is the patch of ultramarine blue, 

 transversely banded with blackish-blue, including the primary 

 coverts and alula. The bases of the outer webs of the quills 

 are faintly coloured in the same manner. The primary quills 

 are dark brown, and, excepting the first have the outer edge 

 dull white ; the first six secondary quills have half of the outer 

 web white, their remaining parts and the other three quills 

 brownish-black. The upper and lower tail-coverts, and the 

 lower feathers of the legs, are white. The tail is dark brown, 

 with indications of bars at the base. 



Length to end of tail 14^ inches ; extent of wings 23 ; wing 

 from flexure 7i ; tail 7 ; bill along the ridge l^^jj, along the 

 edge of low^er mandible Ij'^^ ; tarsus lx| ; first toe 7i twelfths, 

 its claw j% ; second toe j%^ its claw j% ; third toe lj%, its claw 

 7i twelfths ; fourth toe /g, its claw j\. 



Female. — The female differs very little from the male. The 

 feathers of the head are shorter, the colours a little less intense, 

 the white of the rump less extensive, and the blue of the wings 

 a little less pure. 



Length to end of tail 13f inches ; extent of wings 22 ; wing 

 from flexure 7^^ ; tail 6^ ; bill along the ridge 1 ; along the 

 edge of lower mandible l^^^- 



The above descriptions are taken from two fine specimens, 

 shot in Linlithgowshire, and sent to me by Mr. Falconar of 

 Carlo wrie. 



Habits. — The Jay is pretty generally distributed in England 

 and the southern and middle divisions of Scotland, occurring 

 chiefly in parts that are w^ell wooded. It is not less shy and 

 suspicious than the other species of the Corvine family, al- 

 though it frequents gardens for the purpose of feeding on the 

 fruit, as well as beans and pease, of which it seems to be parti- 

 cularly fond. Its food, however, is not confined to these 

 objects, for it also searches for worms, larvae, and snails ; plun- 

 ders the nests of small birds, and pounces on mice and some- 



