INSESSORES. GARRULUS. 361 



GENUS GARRULUS, BRISS. JAY. 



GENERIC CHARACTERS. 



BILL shorter than the head, conical, slightly compressed, 

 strait at the base, rather deflected towards the tip, which is 

 faintly emarginated. The lower mandible of nearly equal 

 thickness, and having its culmen equally convex with that of 

 the upper. Commissure strait. Head crested. Nostrils basal, 

 lateral, hidden from view by short setaceous plumes. 



Wings rounded, with the first quill-feather short; the 

 fourth, fifth, and sixth of nearly equal length., and the long- 

 est in the wing. Tail of mean length ; square, or slightly 

 rounded. General plumage loose and soft. 



Legs weaker than in genus Corvus. Tarsi longer than 

 the middle toe. The outer toe joined at its base to the mid- 

 dle one, and longer than the inner. Hind toe strong, with a 

 dilated sole. Claws stout, moderately curved, and sharp ; 

 that upon the hind toe stronger and longer than any of the 

 rest. 



The Jays form a well-distinguished group among the Cor- 

 vidae, and, with other nearly allied forms, are considered by 

 Mr SWAIXSON as composing one of the five minor divisions 

 of the family under the title of Garrulina. In their habits, 

 they are more arboreal, or addicted to perching, than the 

 preceding genera; and inhabit woods and forests. Their 

 food is not of so general a character, being more restricted 

 to insects, larvae, fruits, and pulse, though they occasionally 

 suck the eggs, and devour the young, of smaller birds. They 

 are of a restless and noisy disposition, and their notes are 

 usually harsh and unpleasant. The Jays belonging to the 

 Old World form a marked group, and bear a strong re- 

 semblance to each other. Those of the New Continent are 

 distinguished by the rich blues of their plumage, which 



