12 SIBERIAN JAY. 



three-parts of the year are, its eggs are perhaps the most difHcult to 

 procure of any. Before winter has shown a sign of departing, it 

 begins to prejoare its nest, and in doing so exercises all the cunning 

 of its tribe to keep concealed the selected spot. Its eggs are con- 

 sequently still unknown to most collectors, while in some cabinets 

 they are represented by well-known varieties of those of the Magpie, 

 to which indeed they bear but slight resemblance. It requires long 

 familiarity with the habits of this bird to know when and how to 

 watch it to its nest, whose proximity it is so careful not to betray 

 by any observable marks of anxiety." 



The adult male and female have the head tufted, and blackish 

 brown; the feathers which cover the nostrils, and those at the base of 

 the beak, white. Plumage above cinereous. Lesser wing coverts and 

 the under part of the wings, rump, abdomen, and all the lateral 

 quills of the tail a beautiful russet; the two middle quills of the tail 

 of an ashy grey. Beak black; feet brown. 



The young has the head of a less dark brown, with the feathers 

 of the tuft shorter; below the ash-colour is browner. 



Figured by Gould, (Siberian Jay,) "Birds of Europe;" BufFon, 

 "PL Enlum.," 608, (Geai de la Siberia;) Schinz, "European Fauna;" 

 and Mr. Dresser, "Birds of Europe." 



The figure of the egg of this bird is from a specimen in my own 

 collection, which was taken at Muonioniska, and sent to me by Dr. 

 Meves of Stockholm with two more from the same nest. Out of the 

 nine authentic eggs in my collection, two are a good deal elongated, 

 and others show a tendency to have the blotches thicker at the 

 smaller end of the egg. They were all taken in Sweden and Lapland. 



