486 THE JAY. 



form a well-defined group among the Corvidce, and form one of 

 the five minor divisions of the family Garrulina. Those in 

 warmer climates are distinguished by the rich blues of their 

 plumage. The jay is allied to the crows on the one hand 

 through the magpie, and to the thrushes on the other ; while the 

 smaller jays resemble the tits, genus Parus. 



The Jay. 



Garrulous Glendarius. (Briss.) Corvus Glendarius. (Linn.) 



" The birds are singing in the distant woods ; 

 Over her own sweet voice the stockdove broods ; 

 The jay makes answer as the magpie chatters; 

 And all the air is filled with pleasant noise of waters." 



— Wordsworth. 



Linnaeus in his larger divisions had the jay amongst the crows, 

 and Wordsworth in saying " The jay makes answer as the 

 magpie chatters," couples it with the magpie. Sometimes it is 

 called the jay-piet. Though widely dispersed in Britain, it is 

 rare about St Andrews, so I need not give a long parrot-like 

 iteration of other people's observations. Although neither 

 crow nor magpie have " sweet voices" (like the " stockdove"), 

 the jay has the harshest ; yet its plumage induced Shakespeare 

 to exclaim in " Catherine and Petruchio" — 



" What ! is the jay more precious than the lark 

 Because its feathers are more beautiful? 

 Or is the adder better than the eel 

 Because its painted skin contents the eye 1 

 Oh no, good Kate ; neither art thou the worse 

 For this poor furniture and mean array." 



" For 'tis the mind that makes the body rich ; 

 And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds, 

 So honour 'jpeareth in the meanest habit.'" 



For, as he says in " As You Like It" — 



" Those that she [Nature] makes fair she scarce makes honest, 

 And those she makes honest she makes very ill-favour'dly." 



Although one of our most beautiful native birds, I know of 

 no special good its rich attire does, unless as ornaments for 

 ladies' bonnets. Nor am I inclined to ban it because the 



