412 QARRULUS 



Hob. The whole of Europe up to about 64 s N. Lat., east to 

 the Ural, and south to the Mediterranean. 



In its habits it is wary and shy, and frequents wooded 

 country, gardens, hedgerows, etc. In the summer it feeds on 

 fruit, mice, birds'-eggs, young birds, and even on frogs, and in 

 the winter on nuts, acorns, berries, larvse, worms, and snails. 

 Its note is a harsh, discordant cry resembling the syllables 

 raatsch ratsch and rraa, and it is an excellent mimic. 



Its nest, which is usually placed on a high bush or a tree 

 generally close to the stem, is a somewhat bulky structure of 

 sticks and twigs, neatly finished inside, and lined with rootlets 

 and dried grass. The eggs, 5 to 6, sometimes 7 in number, are 

 usually deposited in April or May, and are greyish white or 

 greenish grey thickly speckled with pale brown and in some 

 the markings are collected round the larger end. In size they 

 measure about T21 by 0'92. 



586. PERSIAN JAY. 

 OARRULUS HYRCANUS. 



Garrulus hyrcanus, Blanf. Ibis, 1873, p. 225 ; id. E. Persia, p. 265, 

 pi. xviii ; Dresser, ix. p. 245, pi. 686 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. iii. 

 p. 94. 



Soika, Russ. ; Kagno-Agraw, Armen. ; Balut-Khor, Persian. 



$ ad. (Persia). General colour above rufescent vinaceous, the feathers 

 on the crown black, margined with rufescent vinaceous ; nasal bristles 

 isabelline tipped with black ; wings and tail as in G. glandarius ; cheeks 

 more rufous than in that species ; throat pale rufesceiit vinaceous ; rest of 

 under parts deep vinous red, darker on the flanks ; the lower abdomen, 

 vent, under tail-coverts, and thighs white ; beak, legs, and iris as in 

 G. glandarius. Culmen 1*25, wing 6*5, tail 5'2, tarsus 1'6 inch. Female 

 and young duller in colour. 



Hob. Northern Persia, west to the Talysch lowlands in the 

 Caucasus. 



In habits and nidification this species does not differ from 

 G. glandarius, and its eggs resemble those of that species but 

 are as a rule slightly darker. 



587. AFRICAN JAY. 

 GARRULUS MINOR. 



Garrulus minor, Verreaux, Kev. and Mag. de Zool. 1857, p. 439, pi. xiv ; 

 Dresser, ix. p. 247 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. iii. p. 96. 



