A480 AVES—JAY. 
The body of the nest is composed of hawthorn branches; the thurns 
sticking outward, but well united together by their mutual insertions 
Within, it is lined with fibrous roots, wool and long grass, and then nicely 
plastered all round with mud and clay. The body of the nest being thus 
made firm and commodious, the next work is to make the canopy, which is 
to defend it above. This is composed of the sharpest thorns, woven togeth 
er in such a manner, as to deny all entrance except at the door, which is 
just large enough to permit egress and regress to the owners. In this 
fortress the male and female hatch and bring up their brood with security, 
sheltered from all attacks but those of the climbing schoolboy, who often 
finds his torn and bloody hands too dear a price for the eggs or the young 
ones. The magpie lays six or seven eggs, of a pale green color, spotted 
with brown. 
This bird, in its domestic state, preserves its natural character with stric. 
propriety. The same noisy, mischievous habits attend it to the cage that 
marked it in the woods; and being more cunning, so it is a more docile bird 
than any other taken into keeping. Those who are desirous of teaching is 
to speak, have a foolish custom of cutting its tongue, which only puts tha 
poor animal to pain, without improving its speech in the smallest degree. 
Its speaking is sometimes very distinct; but its sounds are too thin and 
sharp to be an exact imitation of the human voice, which the hoarse rave\ 
and parrot can counterfeit more exactly. 
—_ 
THE EUROPEAN JAY! 
‘ 
Is one of the most beautiful of the British birds. The forehead is white, 
streaked with black ; the head is covered with very long feathers, which it 
can erect into a crest at pleasure; the whole neck, back, breast, and belly, 
are of a faint purple, dashed with gray; the wings are most beautifully 
barred with a lovely blue, black and white; the tail is black, and the feet 
of a pale brown. Like the magpie it feeds upon fruits, will kill small birds, 
‘and is extremely docile. The voice of the jay is harsh, grating, and un- 
pleasant. Upon seeing the sportsman, he gives, by his cries, the alarm of 
danger, and thereby defeats his aim. The jay builds in woods, and makes 
an artless nest of sticks, fibres, and tender twigs; the female lays five or 
six eggs, of a grayish asn color, mixed with green, and faintly spotted with 
brown. 
Like the magpie, the jay is talkative, and ready to imitate sounds. One 
of them has been known to mimic so exactly the noise made by the action 
of a saw, as to induce passengers to believe that a carpenter was at 
1 Corvus glandarius. Lux. 
