THE JAYS. 19 



number of insects and grubs it destroys. Generally seen in 

 pairs, but also assembles on occasions in considerable flocks, as 

 many as forty having been seen together. Its flight is much 

 more laboured than those of the other Corvida, and is accom- 

 plished by rapid flappings of the wings. Owing to the persecu- 

 tion which follows it in England, the Magpie is a very shy bird, 

 but in other countries it is comparatively tame, and frequents 

 the neighbourhood of dwellings, building in bushes and even 

 under the eaves of houses. 



Nest. Constructed of twigs, with a foundation of mud and 

 clay, and generally, but not always, domed. The nest is lined 

 with fine rootlets, and is so constructed with thorny sticks as to 

 be difficult of access. 



Eggs. Four to seven in number. Ground-colour pale greenish 

 or greenish blue, generally plentifully mottled and spotted with 

 brown and greenish brown, with grey underlying spots and 

 blotches. Considerable variation takes places in the eggs of 

 the Magpie, both as regards colour and size, the spots often 

 clustering at the end of the egg and forming a brown patch, 

 while occasionally they are almost entirely devoid of markings. 

 Axis, 1-25-175 inch; diam., 0-95-1-0. (Plate XXIX., Fig. 7.) 



THE JAYS. GENUS GARRULUS. 



Garrutus, Briss.. Orn., ii., p. 46 (1760). 



Type, G. glandarius (Linn.). 



The Jays, like the Magpies, belong to the short-winged group 

 of Crows, and are very strongly represented in both the Old and 

 the New World. They are of brighter colours than the ordinary 

 Crows, some of the American Blue Jays being of beautiful 

 plumage and possessing ornamental crests. The Jays of the 

 Old World, though not so brilliant in coloration, are remark- 

 able for a spangled blue wing-patch, which is a well-known 

 feature of our British Jay. 



There are two groups of Jays, the white or vinous-throated 

 birds, and the black-throated ones. To the latter section 

 belong Garrulus lanceolatus of the Himalayas, and G. lidthi of 

 Japan or Corea. Of the pale-throated section, there are some 

 with striped heads like our British Jay T some with blaok heads 



C 2 



