THE JAY 265 



panying him in his walks, making occasionally short ex- 

 cursions on its own account, but returning home to roost. 

 Education, however, does not alter its thievish nature, 

 which appears in its fondness for purloining and secreting 

 pens, knitting needles, and trinkets of all kinds. It will 

 learn to imitate any noise that it hears frequently, the 

 bark of a dog, the neigh of a horse, the call of chickens 

 to be fed, and even a tune on a flageolet, modulating its 

 harsh cry into a soft whistling. It may be taught, too, 

 to imitate the human voice, and will catch, not merely 

 the words, but the tone of voice in which they are 

 uttered, holding an imaginary conversation between a 

 child and an adult. 



There is little difference between the plumage of the 

 male and female birds, both being equally marked by the 

 brilliant blue of the wing-coverts. The male nestling 

 may be distinguished from the female, so it is said, by 

 having five or six of the feathers of the crest darker than 

 in the other sex ; such a bird should therefore be selected 

 for rearing in captivity. 



THE XUTCEACKEE. 



NUCIFRAGA C ARYOCATACTES. 



Plumage sooty browii, spotted on the back and under parts with white ; tail 

 black, barred with white at the extremity; beak and feet horn-colour; iris 

 brown. Length thirteen inches. Eggs light buff, with a few greyish brown 

 spots. 



The Nutcracker Crow must not be confounded with the 

 Nuthatch ; the latter is a familiarly known httle bird, 

 whose skill in reaching the contents of hazel-nuts will 

 come under our notice hereafter; the former is a large 

 bird, as big as a Jay, which is only an occasional visitor 

 in this country, and whose habits partake of those of the 

 Crows and Woodpeckers. The propriety of its name is 



