CROW. 385 



white : from the angles of the mouth a broad flreak of black 

 pafTes under the eye : the hind part of the head, the fides, the 

 neck and breaft, back, and fcapulars,are of a vinaceous buff-colour: 

 the lefier wing coverts of a light bay ; the greater are moll ele- 

 gantly barred with a rich blue and black alternate, the reft black : 

 the quills are part afh-colour, part black, with the bafe of fome, 

 and the edges of others, white j the inner ones cheflnut, with 

 black tips : the rump is white : the tail black, with dufky edges, 

 and the outer ones wholly dufky : the legs are brown. 



This fpecies is very common in our woods, and is well known Place an» 

 to be a very reftlefs, noify bird, frequently depriving the anxious 

 gunner of his mark, by alarming too foon his deftined victim ; 

 for the moment it fpies any perfon, it fets up a harfh, chattering, 

 fcream, whereby its affociates, and all others, know that an 

 enemy is near. 



Jays build chiefly in woods, making the neft of flicks, fibres of 

 roots, and tender twigs, and lay five or fix eggs, of the fize of a 

 Pigeon's, cinereous olive, marked with pale brown. The young 

 keep with the old ones till the next pairing time, in fpring, when 

 they choofe each his mate to produce their future progeny. In 

 general they feed on acorns, nuts, feeds, and fruits of all kinds ; 

 but will fometimes deflroy young chickens, and eggs, and will 

 alfo take away birds that have been caught in a trap, or entangled 

 with birdlime. They are often kept in cages, and will talk 

 pretty well; but with this lofe that beauty fo confpicuous in the 

 wild flate, fo as fcarcely to be known for the fame bird. 



The Jay, I believe, is not fpread fo far as many others of the 

 genus, as we do not hear of its inhabiting further fouth than 

 Italy and Greece. Bekn has given us a Greek name * for it. It 



* MahtntvK£%tels, The modern Grid name is k«^k«|«, Hifi, desoif. Hi. p. 107. 



3D is 



