62 
GARRULUS STELLERI. 
even the colours of their plumage, which agree in all 
the species, and in different climates, render the crows 
a very natural and well marked group. The black 
plumage and offensive odour, which cause them to be 
viewed every where with disgust, and even somewhat 
of superstitious dread, are far from being characteristics 
of the neat and elegant jays. 
The true corvi are distinguished by the following 
traits : Bill, very stout ; w ieet, 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, hut never on thickets, shrubs, or 
bushes. Their voice is deep and hoarse. They are 
X 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 omnivorous in the fullest extent of 
the word, feeding on grains, insects, berries, and even 
