THE PERCHING BIRDS 



magpie (Dcndrodtta rufa), which is very common in well-wooded districts, especially 

 in the plains and in traveling further north is to be seen in pairs and small parties 

 in every grove and garden, and about every village. It builds a large nest of 

 sticks usually in some lofty tree, and lays three or four eggs of a light greenish- fawn 

 color, usually indistinctly blotched with brown. It preys upon insects, small birds, 

 and even bats, but at times feeds principally upon fruits. The adult has the upper 

 parts orange brown, shading off into a brighter orange buff on the lower back and 



COMMON JAY. 



(One-third natural size.) 



rump; the wings are black, the tail feathers gray, with black tips, the lores and 

 throat blackish, and the rest of the under parts orange buff. 



Under the general title of jays may be included a group of several 



genera of closely-allied members of the present family, in all of which 



the wings are relatively short, the tail being always more than three- fourths the 



length of the wing. In the typical genus the short and compressed beak is shorter 



