THE ZOOLOGIST. 



THIRD SERIES. 



Vol. VII.] JANUARY, 1883. [No. 73. 



ON THE MIGRATION OF THE COMMON JAY. 

 By John Cordeaux. 



Seen in the depth of our woodlands furtively flitting from 

 tree to tree, or quietly stealing from the corner of a cover 

 as the noisy line of beaters advances, the flight of the Jay 

 appears both laborious and heavy, kept up by frequent flappings 

 of wing, undulating, too, and somewhat uncertain in direction, 

 and seldom prolonged beyond the nearest tree, hedgerow, or 

 copse. Under such circumstances the bird seems little capable 

 of crossing any width of sea, or of taking a long migratory 

 flight. The fact, however, remains beyond dispute that this 

 seemingly weak and slow-flying bird is capable of long- sustained 

 flights, which will compare even with those of the swift-winged 

 Woodcock and Grey Plover. 



Great numbers of Jays, along with other migrants, crossed 

 Heligoland with an east to west flight in October, 1876. Mr. 

 Gatke's notes sent me at that time are as follows : — " Oct. 21st, 

 1876. East, very strong. G. glandarvm, thousands passing the 

 island ; some landed, caught ; coming — never ending. Oct. 22nd 

 and 23rd. East, strong. Glandarius, a great many still." 



Since that date, and up to this year, Jays do not appear 

 to have been observed at Heligoland, as Mr. Gatke's subsequent, 

 and almost continuous, notes make no mention of them. Either 

 tbe migration has passed some distance off the island, or been 

 carried on at such a height as to be beyond the ken of human 

 vision. 



