GARRULUS GLANDARIUS. 



Jay. 



The harsh cry of the Jay, " discordant heard alone," if not 

 disagreeable, is, to myself at least, unaccompanied with any 

 of those delightful sensations which the wild wood note of 

 every other bird never ceases to impart. I speak in ignorance 

 of the more agreeable notes mentioned by Montague, never 

 having heard any other than the loud, peevish, quarrelsome 

 sort of cry which it mostly utters. The Jay is at all times a 

 very shy bird, and difficult to approach. It hides during the 

 breeding season in the thickest and least frequented parts of 

 our woods ; and builds its nest upon the bough of a low tree. 

 It is formed of sticks, lined with fine roots ; and is in some 

 instances very compactly put together. 



The eggs are from four to six in number, and differ con- 

 siderably; but as, fi-om their size, they cannot easily be 

 mistaken for those of any other bird, I have not thought it 

 necessary to figure any varieties. They are frequently much 

 darker, as well as considerably lighter than the plate; are 

 sometimes of a greener colouring; and not unfrequently en- 

 circled towards the larger end with a distinct ring of darker 

 spots : in some instances, this ring is near the smaller end. 



