120 CORVID^E. 



first three quill- feathers graduated, the fourth, fifth, and sixth of nearly equal 

 length, and the longest in the wing. Legs moderate, tarsus longer than the mid- 

 dle toe, the outer toe joined at its base to the middle toe, and longer than the 

 inner ; claws stout, curved, and sharp. Tail slightly rounded. 



IN the family of the Crows generic distinction has been 

 successfully claimed for the Jays by Brisson and others. 

 M. Temminck formerly included our Jay in his third 

 section of the genus Corvus, but in the Supplement to the 

 first volume of his Manual, published in 1835, this dis- 

 tinguished Ornithologist has admitted the genus Garrulus 

 by name, as quoted in the list of authors at the head of this 

 article, and it should not be forgotten that our Jay was 

 called Garrulus by Willughby* as long ago as 1678. 

 Many species of this genus are now known, some of which 

 inhabit North America, and Mr. Gould has lately figured 

 several beautiful examples in his Century of Birds from 

 the Himalaya Mountains. 



The Jay is a handsome bird well known in most of the 

 wooded districts of England, more arboreal in its habits, 

 appearing to prefer the shelter and security of thick covers, 

 not frequenting open grounds so commonly as the other 

 birds of this family, and has been called glandarius, 

 because considered more partial to feed on vegetable pro- 

 ductions, such as acorns and beech-mast, than the true 

 Crows are observed to be. 



Besides feeding on insects and worms, the Jay, in 

 summer, frequents gardens, unable to resist the temptation 

 of peas and cherries ; and as he is believed also to be 

 partial to eggs and young birds, the Jay meets with no 

 favour from gardeners or gamekeepers, and is accordingly 

 shot or trapped and hung up as an example upon all 

 occasions. 



* Ornithology of Francis Willughby, Esq , F.R.S. London, 1678, p. 131. 



