JAY. 
237 
INSESSORES. 
CONIROSTRES. 
COR VI DPR. 
JAY. 
Garrulus glandarius. 
PLATE LX. FIG. I. 
The liarsli cry of the Jay, “discordant heard alone/' if 
not disagreeable, is to myself, at least, unaccompanied 
with any of those delightful sensations which the wild 
wood-note of every other bird never ceases to impart. 
I speak in ignorance of the more agreeable notes men¬ 
tioned by Montagu, never having heard any other than 
the loud, peevish, quarrelsome sort of cry which it mostly 
utters. The Jay is usually a very shy bird, and difficult 
to approach, hides, during the breeding-season, in the 
thickest and least frequented part of our woods, and 
builds its nest upon the boughs of a low tree. A pair of 
birds built their nest in Oatlands Park two years ago, 
placing it near the top of a tall Scotch fir-tree. It is 
formed of sticks, lined with fine roots, and is, in some 
instances, very compactly put together. 
The eggs are from four to six in number, and differ 
considerably; but, as from their size they cannot easily 
be mistaken for those of any other bird, I have not 
thought it necessary to figure any of the varieties ; they 
are frequently much darker, as well as lighter, than the 
plate ; are sometimes much browner in their colouring, 
and not unfrequently encircled towards the larger end 
with a distinct ring of darker spots ; in some instances, 
this ring is near the smaller end. 
