226 , JAY. 



South of the Arctic circle in Scandinavia, and of about 63° N. lat. 

 in Russia as far as the valley of the Volga, the Jay is found through- 

 out the suitable wooded portions of Europe, down to the Mediter- 

 ranean and Black Seas. In North Africa it is represented by 

 G. cervicalis, a species with a black crown, white ear-coverts, and a 

 deep rufous nape ; while forms to which specific rank has been 

 accorded by some authorities and denied by others are found inter- 

 grading from the Urals, the Caucasus, Asia Minor and Persia eastward, 

 until the extreme of differentiation is reached in Southern Siberia 

 and Northern China in G. brandti. The race found in the south 

 island of the Japanese group differs from the European bird in 

 having some black on the lores. 



The nest, .often commenced early in April, and fairly well con- 

 cealed, is an open, cup-shaped structure of short twigs, neatly lined with 

 fine roots and grasses ; it is usually not more than twenty feet above 

 the ground, in the branches or the outgrowth of the side of a tree, or 

 in some high thick bush. The eggs, 5-6 in number, are greenish- 

 grey, thickly speckled and often zoned towards the larger end with 

 olive-brown, sometimes scrolled with a few black hair-lines : average 

 measurement i'2 by 'gin. The young at first go about in family 

 parties, but subsequently they often unite with others and form 

 bands which at times migrate in large streams, chiefly in a 

 westerly direction. Thus in the autumn of 1876, and again in that 

 of 1882, immense numbers, apparently coming from the great forest 

 regions of Eastern Germany, were observed crossing Heligoland 

 during three consecutive days. The food of the Jay consists chiefly 

 of worms, insects, berries, nuts, beechmast, acorns and fruit, but 

 also to some extent of the eggs and young of other birds. The 

 natural note is a harsh screech, but, as is well known, the bird possesses 

 considerable imitative powers. 



The adult male has the head covered .with a whitish crest, each 

 feather tipped or striped with black ; ear-coverts, nape and back 

 light vinous-brown ; rump white ; tail-feathers black, the exterior 

 pair brownish ; primaries dull black with white margins to the outer 

 webs ; secondaries deep black with long white basal patches, the 

 innermost feather rich chestnut tipped with black ; wing-coverts 

 barred alternately with black, white and pale blue ; chin pale buflF ; 

 from the base of the bill backwards a black streak ; under parts 

 bufifish-white, turning to rufous on the flanks ; bill dark horn-colour ; 

 iris bluish-white ; legs and feet pale brown. Length about 14 "2 5 in.; 

 wing 7 -2 in. The female resembles the male, and the young differ 

 little from the adults except in having brown irides. 



