222 SPHIKG. 



imitating the notes of other birds, we have seldom 

 been able to see the full grown ones, except for a 

 moment in flitting from one tree to another. We 

 have, however, noticed one peculiarity of its motions, 

 when in a part of the wood where the trees were not 

 very close together. It enters the thick foliage by one 

 side, ascends up or descends down, under the leaves, 

 according as its former flight was low or high ; and 

 always leaves the tree at a different elevation from 

 that at which it entered, and taking its new flight at an 

 angle with the old one, so that when one expects to 

 meet it right forward, it will be to the right or the 

 left. 



The jay, though nearly as long in the body, is a 

 smaller bird than the magpie, being about fourteen 

 inches in length, twenty-one in the expansion of the 

 wings, and less than half a pound in weight. The 

 beak is very dark in colour, and more curved than 

 that of any other of the tribe with which it is usually 

 associated. Though the plumage varies a good deal, 

 it is generally rich, and the bright hues come more out 

 than the fine irridescent lustre of the magpie. The 

 head is white, with longitudinal streaks of black ; and 

 the feathers on the top are long and loose, and form a 

 moveable" crest, which the bird can erect or depress at 

 pleasure. There are black mustachios at the angles of 

 the gape, which are well defined, and point downwards 

 to the throat. The nape of the neck, the back, and 

 the shoulders are brownish red, which has a soft and 

 very agreeable lustre ; the breast, belly, and rump are 

 white ; the quills of the wings are dusky grey ; the 

 smaller wing covers orange, and the greater barred 



