254 WOODLAND CREATURES 



be found throughout the area mentioned, and 

 others not very dissimilar occur even in China 

 and Japan. However, according to the latest 

 students of birds, it is not one species that ranges 

 over these thousands of miles, but many distinct 

 ones, which are again divisible into geographi- 

 cal races or sub-species ; for instance, these 

 authorities recognize the Irish jay as distinct 

 from the English, and the latter as being a 

 separate form from that found on the Continent ; 

 but the differences are slight, mere shades of 

 plumage, the Continental jay being more grey 

 than the English, while the Irish is slightly 

 darker ; so that the practical field naturalist, 

 who is concerned with the live bird and not 

 with dried skins, will feel more than a little 

 doubtful as to the justification for such sub- 

 division. He knows how birds and beasts 

 vary, that the same wood may supply individuals 

 that differ considerably, and even the describers 

 of these sub-species confess " they are indistin- 

 guishable in the field/' x 



It is of the jay " in the field/' or rather in 

 the wood, that is being dealt with here, and in 

 concluding this chapter on it and on the magpie, 

 it only remains to be said that whatever the 

 game-preserver's feelings concerning these k two 

 birds may be, they are among the most charming, 

 beautiful, and interesting of woodland birds, 

 no creatures being more fascinating to watch 

 and study. 



Witherby's Handbook of British Birds, p. 28. 



