BIRDS OF THE WOODS 61 



but without black on head, and wing-bars sordid 

 white. 



Language. The natural song is poor, being short in 

 duration and feeble and sad in utterance, but in cap- 

 tivity its notes are capable of development, when it 

 becomes a good songster. Call-note, a plaintive whist- 

 ling " wheoo." 



Habits. Never gregarious. In the breeding season 

 it keeps strictly to woods ; obtains its food usually in 

 trees and bushes, seldom on the ground except in winter. 

 Flight jerky and undulating. 



Food. In summer, aphides, caterpillars, and small 

 seeds. It is said to devour buds of fruit-trees, and is 

 much persecuted on this account. 



Nest. April onwards. Two broods. 



Site. In a thick non-deciduous tree, in hawthorn 

 hedges, &c. 



Materials. Small twigs, roots, and bents, lined with 

 fibres and horsehair. Nest rather flat. 



Eggs. Four to five. Greenish blue, spotted, blotched, 

 and streaked with red and dark purplish brown. 



JAY (Garrulus glandarius). 



Rather rare in Scotland ; otherwise pretty commonly 

 met with in woodland districts. Essentially a bird of 

 the woods. 



Plumage. Crest fairly well-defined and greyish white, 

 streaked with black ; moustachial streak black. Plum- 

 age generally grey tinged with rufous, and darker 

 above than below. Rump and upper tail-coverts 

 white conspicuous in flight. Chin and throat buffish 

 white. Primaries blackish, secondaries deep black 

 and white ; greater wing-coverts barred with black, 

 white, and bright blue. Tail black. Bill horn-colour. 

 Legs pale brown. Length 14^ in. Female and young 

 similar. 



