THE JAY. 



THE Jay is one of the handsomest of our native birds, 

 and although of somewhat local distribution, still in the 

 deepest woods and coppices he is far from uncommon. 

 There are few birds more shy and timid than the Jay, 

 and the observer has often to content himself by a 

 hurried glance as the bird flies rapidly amongst the 

 thickest underwood, his beautifully blended plumage 

 contrasting richly with the surrounding vegetation. 



The Jay delights to frequent woods plentifully 

 stocked with evergreens, and in the holly's verdant 

 branches we often find his nest. He is also found in 

 shrubberies of sufficient extent to afford him the requisite 

 amount of shelter, choosing those where the underwood 

 is unusually dense. As I see the birds invariably fly in 

 pairs at all times of the year, I am led to believe that 

 the Jay, like birds of the Crow tribe in general, pairs for 

 life. The note of the Jay is a peculiarly harsh and dis- 

 cordant one, even more so than that of the Magpie. 



Q 2 



