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saying that it is common throughout that country. Dresser met with it everywhere on the 

 Danube where there were oak-forests ; and we have received several specimens from Mr. Robson, 

 obtained by him hi the neighbourhood of Constantinople. Here it meets the Black-headed Jay, 

 which, in that country, appears to be the most numerous species. Professor von Nordman, who 

 speaks of the Black-headed Jay as a mere variety of the common species, writes that " the 

 Common Jay is very common in Bessarabia and New Russia, but in the Crimea and the Caucasus 

 it is replaced by the Black-headed Jay." In September he says he saw individuals intermediate 

 between these two species near Sou Dagh, in the Crimea ; but we have never been able to find 

 any specimens such as he appears to refer to, unless he can have had young examples of the 

 Black-headed Jay. In the forests of Abasia and the mountains of Ghouriel the Black-headed 

 Jay alone occurs ; but Menetries refers to the present species as being found in the forests of the 

 Caucasus and Lenkoran, but not higher up the mountains than about 3000 feet above the sea. 

 Mr. Blanford lately brought back a Jay from Persia which differs considerably from our common 

 species, being smaller, not so grey on the back, and having a much darker crest. In Asia Minor 

 the Black-headed Jay replaces the present species, which is also not found in North-eastern 

 Africa ; but as regards Algeria we consider that the bird referred to by Loche, under the name 

 of Garrulus minor, Verr., is nothing else but the Common Jay. 



In its habits the Common Jay is wary and shy ; and though its presence is usually heralded 



by its harsh discordant cries, it is very difficult of approach, and knows well how to keep out 



of gunshot. It is no favourite with the gardeners, on whose crop of peas it often levies black 



mail with impunity; and its taste for eggs also brings it under the ban of the gamekeepers, 



in whose collection of " vermin " nailed against a barn-door, or hung on a convenient tree 



at the edge of some wood, the bright-coloured wings of the Jay are often conspicuous. It 



is often followed and mobbed by various species of small birds, proving that they look on 



it as an enemy, and with justice, as it frequently kills their young and sucks their eggs. 



Macgillivray writes that " it is not less shy and suspicious than the other species of the 



Corvine family, although it frequents gardens for the purpose of feeding on the fruit, as well as 



beans and peas, of which it seems to be particularly fond. Its food, however, is not confined to 



these objects; for it also searches for worms, larvse, and snails, plunders the nests of small birds, 



and pounces on mice and sometimes birds. The principal substances which I have found in its 



stomach in winter were acorns, mixed with fragments of quartz. It is scarcely gregarious, 



although for some weeks the members of a family keep together, in which case it is almost 



impossible to procure one of them, as they flit before you in the woods, taking care to keep 



beyond reach of a shot, and uttering at intervals their ordinary harsh scream. The flight of the 



Jay in an open place is somewhat similar to that of the Magpie or Missel-Thrush, being direct, 



and performed by quick beats, with short cessations at intervals. It glides through the woods 



and thickets with great ease and dexterity, flits along the hedges, and rarely approaches the 



habitation of man, except in search of food for its young, its affectionate concern for which will 



induce it to brave dangers from which on ordinary occasions it would shrink." As a cage-bird it 



is often to be met with about the country villages ; and its bright plumage, together with its 



power of mimicry, render it a great favourite with the cottagers. Referring to this, Yarrell 



writes that " young birds are easily brought up from the nest, soon become very tame, and in 



