TH CROW TRIBE. 327 
being only grey and light brown scattered irregularly, In all cases, however, 
they are gathered upon the large end of the egg. 
In the adult male, the head, neck, and upper parts of the shoulders are 
pearly grey, with a black stripe across the base of the beak and running 
through the eye. The back and wing-coverts are ruddy chestnut, fading into 
reddish grey upon the upper tail-coverts. The quill feathers of the wings 
are black, edged with red upon their outer webs, and the quill feathers cf 
the tail are white at the basal half, and the remainder of each feather is 
black tipped with a very narrow line of white. The chin and under tail- 
coverts are white, and the rest of the under surface is pale rusty red. The 
strongly notched and hooked beak is deep shining black. The female bird 
may at once be known bythe absence of the black streak across the eye, 
which in her case is replaced by a light-coloured stripe over the eye. The 
head and all the upper parts of the body are reddish brown, and the red 
edges of the wing-feathers are narrower than in the male. The under side 
of the body is wholly greyish white, covered with very numerous transverse 
lines of a darker hue. 
WE now arrive at a very large and important group, called from the shape 
of their beaks the CONIROSTRES, or Cone-billed Birds. In these birds the 
bill varies in length and development, in some being exceedingly short, while 
in others it is much elongated ; in some being straight and simple, while in 
others it is curiously curved and furnished with singular appendages ; in some 
being toothless, while in others there is a small but perceptible tooth near 
the tip. In all, however, the bill is more or less conical in form, being very 
thick and rounded at the base, and diminishing to a point at the extremity. 
There are no less than eight recognized families of this large group, contain- 
ing some of the most important and most remarkable members of the 
feathered race. 
THE first family is that which is well known under the title of Corvide, 
or CROWS, containing the crows, rooks, magpies, starlings, and other familiar 
birds, together with the equally celebrated bower birds but less known paradise 
birds, troopials, and orioles. The beak of all these birds is long, powerful, and 
somewhat compressed—z.e., flattened at the sides—curved more or less on the 
ridge of the upper mandible, and with a notch at the extremity. 
THE best known of the Garruline, or talkative birds, is our common English 
JAY, one of the handsomest of our resident birds, 
The ordinary note of the Jay is a rather soft cry, but the bird is a most 
adroit imitator of various sounds, particularly those of a harsh character. It 
has one especially harsh scream, which is its note of alarm, and serves to set 
on the alert not only its own kind but every other bird that happens to be within 
hearing. The sportsman is often baffled in his endeavours to get a shot at 
his game by the mingled curiosity and timidity of the Jay, which cannot 
“hear a strange rustling or see an unaccustomed object without sneaking 
silently up to inspect it, and is so terribly frightened at the sight of 2 man 
a dog, and a gun, that it dashes off in alarm, uttering its loud “ squawk,” 
which indicates to every bird and beast that danger is abroad. 
The Jay, like all the crow tribe, will eat animal or vegetable substances 
with equal zest, and will plunder the hcards of small quadrupeds or swallow the 
owner with perfect impartiality. Young birds are a favourite food of the Jay, 
which is wonderfully clever at discovering nests and devouring the fledgelings. 
Occasionally it even feeds upon birds, and as been seen to catch a full 
grown thrush. Eggs also are great dainties with this bird, particularly those 
of pheasants and partridges, so thatit is ranked among the “ vermin” by 
all gamekeepers or owners of preserves. So fond is it of eggs, that it can 
almost invariably be enticed into a trap by means of an egg or two placed as 
