304 SURE RAILS Al Ve 
Bill, very stout; feet, very strong; general form, robust ; 
flight, highly sustained, straight or circular, as if performing 
evolutions in the air. They live, travel, and breed in large 
bands; affect wide plains and cultivated grounds, only retiring 
to the adjacent forests to roost, and are always seen on high 
and naked trees, but never on thickets, shrubs, or bushes. 
Their voice is deep and hoarse. ‘hey are more or less fond 
of cattle, some species preying on the vermin that infest them. 
Though devouring all kinds of food, yet their propensity is 
decidedly carnivorous. Their black, unvaried colours are 
remarkably opposed to the bright and cheerful vesture of the 
jays, whose plumage is of a much looser texture, the feathers | 
being longer and much more downy. 
The jays are again more particularly distinguished from 
the magpies by their head-feathers being long and silky, and 
always erectile (especially when the bird is excited or angry), 
even when they are not decidedly crested, as is the case in 
many species. ‘Their colours are also gayer, and more brilliant, 
with more or less of blue. The species of both these sections 
are garrulous, noisy, and inquisitive. ‘Together with the crows, 
they are eminently distinguished by their stout, cultrate bill, 
generally covered at base with setaceous, incumbent, porrect 
feathers, hiding the nostrils. The female is similar to the 
male in appearance, and the young differ but little, and only 
during the first year, from the adult. They are very shy, 
suspicious, possessed of an acute sense of smelling, and 
evince great sagacity in avoiding snares. They are omni- 
vorous in the fullest extent of the word, feeding on grains, 
insects, berries, and even flesh and eggs. When they have 
caught a small bird, which they can only do when feeble and 
sickly, or ensnared, they place it under their feet, and with 
their bill tear it to pieces, swallowing each piece separately. 
Nevertheless, they give the preference to grains or fruits. 
The northern species are wary and provident, collecting stores 
of food for the winter. ‘They are very petulant ; their motions 
quick and abrupt, and their sensations lively. When alarmed, 
