JAY. 117 



rounded ; the first three quill-feathers graduated, the fourtli, fifth, and sixth of 

 nearly equal length, and the longest in the wing. Legs moderate, tarsus longer 

 than the middle toe, the outer toe joined at its base to the middle toe, and 

 longer than the inner ; claws stout, curved, and sharp. Tail slightly rounded. 



In the family of the Crows generic distinction has been 

 successfully claimed for the Jays by Brisson and others. 

 M. Temminck formerly included our Jay in his third section 

 of the genus Corvus, but in the Supplement to the first 

 volume of his Manual, published in 1835, this distinguished 

 Ornithologist has admitted the genus Garrulus by name, as 

 quoted in the list of authors at the head of this article, and 

 it should not be forgotten that our Jtiy was called Garrulus 

 by Willughby* as long ago as 1678. Many species of this 

 genus are now known, some of which inhabit North America, 

 and Mr. Gould has lately figured several beautiful examples 

 in his Century of Birds from the Himalaya Mountains. 



The Jay is a handsome bird well known in most of the 

 wooded districts of England, more arboreal in its habits, 

 appearing to prefer the shelter and security of thick covers, 

 not frequenting open grounds so commonly as the other birds 

 of this family, and has been called glandarius, because con- 

 sidered more partial to feed on vegetable productions, such 

 as acorns and beech-mast, than the true Crows are observed 

 to be. 



Besides feeding on insects and worms, the Jay, in summer, 

 frequents gardens, unable to resist the temptation of peas 

 and cherries ; and as he is believed also to be partial to eggs 

 and young birds, the Jay meets with no favour from gardeners 

 or gamekeepers, and is accordingly shot or trapped and hung 

 up as an example upon all occasions. 



The Jay seldom builds its nest higher than twenty feet 

 from the ground, preferring the upper part of a thick bush in 

 high wood, or in a tall hedge-row, and occasionally one of 



* Ornithology of Francis Willughby, Esq. F.R.S. London, 1678, p. 13L 



