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living everywhere in large flocks ; they sometimes settle upon the houses, and have no hesitation in 

 constantly seeking their food amongst the refuse of the busiest streets. In most of their habits they 

 closely resemble the Common Magpie, and when exposed to danger exhibit so much cunning in 

 evading pursuit as to render their capture a very difficult and wearisome operation. The voice of the 

 Blue Magpie is, however, quite unlike that of the member of its family with which we are all so 

 familiar ; its note is very prolonged, and when several pairs are chattering gaily to each other then- 

 tones rather resemble the lusty sounds produced by the Green Woodpecker than those of their 

 congeners. In Spain this species does not commence its building operations until May, but in other 

 countries is somewhat earlier in the preparations for its young ; the nest, which resembles that of a 

 Shrike, has an outer frame of dry branches, lined with blades of grass, shoots of plants, and similar 

 materials, which are selected with great care. Many nests are built upon the same tree, a whole 

 party taking up their residence at a short distance from each other, preferring under these circum- 

 stances their favourite elms or other lofty trees as affording the safest lodging for the young. The 

 brood consists of from five to nine eggs : these are of a greenish yellow, mottled with indistinct 

 patches of a deeper shade, and spotted or streaked with olive brown markings, which occasionally 

 form a kind of wreath at the broad end. 



The BLUE RAVENS (Cyanocorax), as they have been called, are a species of Jays which 

 appear to form a connecting link between the Magpies and the Jackdaws. These birds inhabit South 

 America, and are remarkable for the magnificence of their plumage j their powerful beaks are usually 

 as long as the entire head, somewhat compressed towards the tip, slightly arched at the roof, and 

 covered with bristles at the base ; the wings, in which the fifth and sixth quills are longer than the 

 rest, extend to the root of the long tail. 



THE HOODED BLUE RAVEN. 



The Hooded Blue Raven (Cyanocorax pikatus) is about fourteen inches in length, seventeen 

 broad, with wings six inches, and tail six and a half inches long. The forehead, bridles, and upper 

 part of the head (the feathers of which are considerably elongated), are of a rich black, so are the 

 sides of the neck and the entire throat ; the nape, back, wings, and tail, bright blue, and the entire 

 lower part of the body white, as are also the tips of the feathers that compose the tail ; above and 

 below the eyes is a broad, crescent-shaped spot of sky blue. Schomburghk tells us that these beautiful 

 birds frequent high trees, and subsist upon fruit or seeds ; they are very shy and restless, and are 

 easily discovered through the constant utterance of their discordant cry. The nest, which is artistically 

 constructed, is built at the summit of a lofty tree. The eggs, two in number, are brownish white, 

 spotted with brown. Beyond these few facts we know nothing of the Hooded Blue Raven in its 

 native haunts. 



THE CRESTED BLUE JACKDAW. 



The Crested Blue Jackdaw (Cyanocitta cristata) is an American species, with which we are 

 much better acquainted. The shape of this bird is slender, its beak short, strong, slightly arched, 

 and pointed ; the wings are short, their fourth and fifth quills longer than the rest ; the tail long and 

 decidedly rounded. The plumage is soft and brilliant, and the feathers upon the head prolonged into 

 a crest. In the male the predominating colour upon the back is bright blue ; the tail-feathers are 

 surrounded by a narrow dark line, the wing-feathers are tipped with black ; the ends of the secondary 

 quills, the larger feathers of the wing-covers, and the exterior tail-feathers are white, or of a greyish- 

 white shade ; the sides of the head are pale blue ; a line which commences at the back of the head 

 and passes round the throat is black, as is also a streak between the eyes ; the eye itself is greyish 



