Winged Vermin Habits of the Jay. 467 



an incalculable nuisance, stealing his eggs and capturing 

 his chickens with the same wary daring. Hens laying 

 astray have their nests devastated, while those leading 

 their broods far out may at any moment have one or two 

 snatched up and carried away without warning or ceremony. 



Taking all the various phases of the magpie's character, 

 it does not show to advantage, and whatever may be its 

 reputation as a pet bird or ornament of the country side, 

 as a frequenter of the game preserve it is unmistakably 

 noxious, and one of the worst natured of the many 

 mischievous birds which at one time or another prove 

 their destructive habits in game covert or poultry yard. 



Impudent and mischievous as is the magpie, nearly 

 equally predacious and quite as bold is the jay. Although 

 its indiscriminating appetite leads it to the destruction and 

 consumption of many and various things, quite unnoticed 

 as means of food by the piet, crow, or rook, it is far 

 more vigilant in its search for provender than any of 

 these, and consequently is nearly as destructive a visitor 

 in game coverts as the birds hitherto noticed. It is in 

 the spring of the year that its great love for eggs, 

 whether large or small, fresh or stale, leads it to commit 

 the havoc which has made it so notorious ; and when 

 the song birds go to nest, and the pheasants, grouse and 

 partridges are similarly occupied, its ever attentive obser- 

 vation is productive of results disastrous to the game- 

 keeper as satisfactory to its gaudy and impertinent self. 

 No sooner are the eggs hatched than the "oak jackdaws" 

 are again observant of the actions of the parents, when- 

 ever these are away in search of food for their young or 



