JAY. CHOUGH. 73 



The habits of the jay in its wild state closely resemble those 

 of tne magpie, but of a more retired and skulking disposition ; 

 as its food is similar, it also resembles that bird in being a 

 most notorious plunderer, closely watching the nests of the 

 smaller birds for an opportunity of the parents' absence to 

 destroy either the eggs or young. 



When tamed they become amusing and agreeable pets, and 

 by attention are taught to imitate many sounds so completely 

 as to deceive the hearer, in some instances, unfortunately 

 for itself, too well, as the following anecdote testifies : " A 

 bird of this species, kept by the wayside in the north of Eng- 

 land, was taught to set on a cur-dog at cattle by whistling 

 and calling him by his name. One winter's day, during a 

 severe frost, the dog was incited to attack a cow big with 

 calf, when, by the dog's annoyance, the cow fell upon the ice 

 and was severely injured. The jay was indicted as a nuisance, 

 and consequently destroyed." 



So perfect is this mimicry, even in a wild state, that, on 

 the authority of Montague, it has been known to introduce 

 into a partial song the bleating of a lamb, and mewing of a 

 cat, together with the various notes of both hawks and small 

 birds with the most perfect exactitude. 



In the summer of 1848 we had the pleasure of observing 

 jays on several occasions, in the vicinity of Sandal Castle, in 

 Yorkshire, and usually surprised them, like the magpie, when 

 hopping in search of larvae, in the vicinity of a hedgerow. 



GENUS XXXIII. FREGILUS (CHOUGH). 



SPECIES 69 THE CHOUGH. 



Fregilus graculus. Linn. 

 Crave ordinaire. Degl. 



Red-legged Crow. Cornish Chough. Sea Crow. 



THIS species, the most elegantly formed and graceful of the 

 Corvidae, is common, and to be met with in any situation 

 guitable to its habits. Thus, around the stupendous precipices 

 which defend the west coast from the fury of the Atlantic, we 

 observe the chough in considerable numbers flying in the 

 vicinity, and occasionally feeding a considerable distance in- 

 land. 



A friend, writing from Newport, remarks of this species : 

 " The chough is very common here, and is one of the most beauti- 

 ful of the birds which frequent the sea-coast and the lofty preci- 



