THE CONTINENTAL JAY. 27 



Description. — Like N. c. caryocatactes, but with a comparative!}' 

 finer (less deep and less broad) and usually longer and more sharply- 

 pointed bill. Bill from nostril : ^ 38-5-46, $ 37-41 ; depth at 

 angle, ^ and $, 12-14. 



Breeding-habits. — Builds in pine-forests early in year, but little 

 known of breeding-habits, which probably scarcely differ from 

 those of Thick-billed form. Eggs. — Said to be similar. 



Food. — British-killed specimens have been found feeding on 

 coleoptera (dung-beetles, etc.) and grain, but in Siberia main food 

 is seed of Pinus cembra sibirica. 



Distribution. — Great Britain. — • Vagrant. About forty-five 

 authentic records of Nutcrackers in England, chiefly in southern 

 and eastern counties, one Wales, three Scotland, but none Ireland. 

 Probably most were of the Slender-billed form, but few have been 

 properly identified (c/. supra). Six in autumn 1911, two in 

 Dec. 1912, and two in Oct. 1913, were of this form. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeding in Siberia ; in winter frequently 

 all over Europe as far westward as France and central Pyrenees. 

 Common in certain years, rare or absent in others. Represented 

 by allied forms in Japan, Formosa, north China, Kamtschatka, 

 Turkestan, Himalayas, etc. 



Genus GARRULUS Briss. 



Garrulus Brisson, Orn., i, p. 30 (1760 — ^Type " Garrulus,'' i.e. Garrulus 

 glandarius, by tautonymy, cf. op. c, ii, p. 47). 



At once recognizable by striking coloration of bastard- wing, 

 primary-coverts, and outer greater wing-coverts, which are bright 

 blue, barred with black. Plumage full and soft, feathers of crown 

 elongated, forming erectile crest. Nostrils roundish, covered by 

 bristles. 5th and 6th primaries longest, 1st about half as long as 

 longest. Tail almost square. Sexes alike. 



Five or six species, only European one, G. glandarius, in at 

 least sixteen different subspecies ; Europe, north-west Africa, Asia 

 to Himalayas and south China, Japan and Formosa. 



GARRULUS GLANDARIUS 



g. Garrulus glandarius glandarius (L.) — THE CONTINENTAL 

 JAY. 



CoRVUS GLANDARIUS Linngeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 106 (1758 — 



Europe. Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 



Garrulus glandarius (Linnaeus), Yarrell, ii, p. 323 (part) ; Saunders, 



p. 235 (part). 



Oarrulus g. glandarins, N. F. Ticehurst, Brit. B., iv, p. 213. 



