1494 



THE PERCHING BIRDS 



grayish blue, deepening into purple on the hind neck; above the eye there is a blue 

 spot; while the under surface is creamy yellow. According to Azara's account, 

 this jay, of which we give a figure, is an abundant bird in Paraguay, where it is as 

 familiar as is the magpie in England, not even hesitating to enter the houses of the 

 inhabitants. Not ranging into the colder regions of Argentine, this bird seems to 

 suffer from the cold during winter in Uruguay, and at that season it is by no means 



\ 



GRAY STRUTHIDKA. 

 (One-third natural size.) 



uncommon to see a party of from ten to twenty of these jays crowding together in 

 the most sheltered part of a tree, to obtain protection from the wind. If the tree 

 or bush be small, and the best space limited, it may happen that some of the birds 

 will perch on the back of their fellows, and thus form a regular pyramid. Like 

 most gregarious pies and jays, when the flock is on the move, one bird flies off first, 

 followed soon by another, and then by a third, till the whole party is on the wing. 



