154 CJ^OIVS. 



lating their voices with all the precision of a musical instrument, 

 and producing notes equally clear, distinct, and sonorous. 

 An example of this race of birds is — 



The Piping Crow {Phonegama viridis), common in New South Wales, 

 inhabitinL; the Blue Mountains in small flocks, and building in trees a nest 

 composed of sticks lined with grass. It is said to make a loud whistling noise 

 while perched on some lofty branch early in the morning, and not to be migra- 

 tory. In captivity it is very amusing from its powers of mimicry : it imitates 

 the voices of men and animals, and easily learns to whistle tunes, its notes 

 being clear and powerful. 



The typical form of the sub-family is — 



The White-backed Gyninorhina {Gymnorliina kuconotns). 



Sub-Family II. 



THE JAYS. GARRULIN.E. 



General Characteristics. — Bill moderate, strong, laterally compressed, and the 

 culmen straight, but suddenly curved near the tip, which is emarginated : the 

 nostrils generally concealed by projecting plumes ; the wings moderate and rounded ; 

 the tail of various lengths, graduated or rounded ; the tarsi moderate and much 

 scutellated ; and the toes long and strongly scaled. 



The Jays are peculiar to the Old World, and are usually found 

 in pairs or small societies in forests, or wherever trees are grow- 

 ing together, preferring the thickest and closest parts, as they 

 are very arboreal in their habits, and hop actively from branch 

 to branch. It is on the trees that these birds find most of their 

 food, which consists of various fruits and seeds ; but they also 

 visit cultivated grounds and orchards for the fruits and certain 

 vegetables to w^iich they are partial. They sometimes suck the 

 eggs of birds in their nests, and even young birds do not escape 

 them, especially those that are feeble and sickly : in preying 

 upon these they place them under their feet, and with their bills 

 tear them to pieces, swallowing each piece separately. The vocal 

 imitations of quadrupeds, as well as birds, which are practised 

 by the common species, are most exact and ludicrous. Their 

 nest is composed of sticks, and lined with fibrous roots of plants : 

 it is usually placed in the most unfrequented parts of the forest. 

 The eggs are generally from five to six in number. 



