THE JAYS. 
19 
nu mber of insects and grabs it destroys. Generally seen in 
P air s, but also assembles on occasions in considerable flocks, as 
»Uny as forty having been seen together. Its flight is much 
tI ?? re laboured than "those of the other Corvid, ce, and is accom- 
P ished by rapid flappings of the wings. Owing to the persecu- 
l0 « which follows it in England, the Magpie is a very shy bird, 
,, ut in other countries it is comparatively tame, and frequents 
ne neighbourhood of dwellings, building in bushes and even 
u nder the eaves of houses. 
Nest — Constructed of twigs, with a foundation of mud and 
cla y, and generally, but not always, domed. The nest is lined 
l ' th fine rootlets, and is so constructed with thorny sticks as to 
e difficult of access. 
E egs — Four to seven in number. Ground-colour pale greenish 
° r greenish blue, generally plentifully mottled and spotted with 
r°wn and greenish brown, with grey underlying spots and 
Dutches. Considerable variation takes places in the eggs of 
l e Magpie, both as regards colour and size, the spots often 
clustering at the end of the egg and forming a brown patch, 
while occasionally they are almost entirely devoid of markings. 
x is, i’25— r-yj inch; diam., o‘95-i'o. (Plate XXIX., Fig. 7.) 
THE JAYS. GENUS GARRULUS. 
Garrulus, Briss., Orn., ii., p. 46 (1760). 
Type, G. glandarius (Linn.). 
f Jays, like the Magpies, belong to the short-winged group 
., 'J 5 )ws , and are very strongly represented in both the Old and 
c New World. They are of brighter colours than the ordinary 
rows, some of the American Blue Jays being of beautiful 
an d possessing ornamental crests. The Jays of the 
abl f ° rld ’ thou gh not so brilliant in coloration, are remark- 
r® tor a spangled blue wing-patch, which is a well-known 
birds 6 are tWo 8 rou P s Jays, the white or vinous-throated 
belon the black-throated ones. To the latter section 
Japan 8 ( * a Z rulus lanceolatus of the Himalayas, and G. lidthi of 
with st" ^ orea - Of the pale-throated section, there are some 
n Ped heads like our British Jay, some with black heads 
c 2 
