THE JAY 149 



the darker area forms a scarcely perceptible zone, the extremity itself being quite 

 pale. The time of nidification is from the latter end of April to about the middle 

 of May, most nests being found in the second month ; but it has been known for 

 the Jay to be still later, perhaps owing to a first nest having been plundered. 



The food of this bird consists in summer of worms, spiders, insects, eggs, 

 young birds, and fruit ; but later in the year, chiefly of berries, acorns, beech - 

 mast and nuts. In captivity its food is still more varied, Mr. J. H. Gurney, 

 (Zoologist 1892, p. 429,) gives the following as the diet supplied to two tame Jays 

 " The first one would eat worms, grapes, and acorns, with equal avidity ; but its 

 beak could not pierce the acorn's husk until it had been partly pared off, then 

 holding it with its foot the bird would rapidly pull it to pieces with its strong 

 beak. In the same way, if a dead sparrow is given to a Jay, it will stand on one 

 part of it while with its beak it tugs at another, after the manner of a hawk. 

 My Jay would eat the orange berries of the Solanum, if hungry, but did not care 

 in the least for yew and privet berries. Jay No. 2 devoured peas by making a 

 hole in the side of the pod, and after it had got them all out it would amuse 

 itself by pulling the pod to pieces, no doubt to look for more. Sparrows' eggs 

 dropped into the cage were adroitly caught before they reached the bottom, and a 

 mouse or a shrew was very acceptable. Being put into the same cage as a Carrier 

 Pigeon and a Turtle Dove, in spite of a disabled wing, and though the cage was 

 nine feet long, the Jay soon despatched the latter by pecking its back." 



As cage-birds Jays are great favourites, not only on account of their wonderful 

 powers of mimicry, but because, as Lord Lilford says, " In captivity the Jay is a 

 most amusing pet and becomes very tame. There is little trouble in keeping it 

 in good health and condition, as in the matter of food scarcely anything conies 

 amiss. We have found, however, that more than one of these birds in our pos- 

 session preferred the eggs of small birds to any other food." 



Personally I have had no experience of the English Jay as a cage-bird ; but, 

 judging by the American Pileated Jay, I should be inclined to add to Lord Lilford's 

 statement respecting eggs, that it does not care at all about their condition : 

 whether fresh, stale, ready to hatch, addled, or dried up, all eggs are relished. 

 All Jays have certain habits in common ; I believe that, when thoroughly tame, 

 they all erect their crests, dance, and sing a weak crooning song to their owners, 

 if they are talked to ; that they all tear their prey by bringing their bills down 

 repeatedly, pickaxe-fashion, on one point, until the}- have made a good hole ; then 

 deliberately catching hold of the edge, tear sideways right and left, the carcass 

 being firmly grasped with one foot at least, sometimes between the two. 



