THE JAY.

THE rich colouring in the bastard wing and greater coverts belongs exclusively to this one species of bird. The blue, the black, and the white, are here most exquisitely blended. The eye, therefore, dwells on this bird with peculiar pleasure. These brilliant colours are however possessed, as is the case with other birds, prior to the first moulting; hence the male and female are so much alike that they are not easily distinguished from one another.

The jay is found in considerable numbers in most of the wooded parts of this country, but they seldom congregate together. The nest of the magpie and the crow may be observed near the tops of trees, but here the dwelling of the jay is never seen. In the lower branches of the oak, or the woodbine mantling round the hazel, it finds an abode. Like some other birds, as the jackdaw, the rook, and the pheasant, it feeds voraciously on the acorn. In pea and cherry time it becomes remark

rable numbers in most e. untry, but they seldom 200st of the magpie and the crow the tops of trees, but here th

r seen. In the lower branches Line manting round the bazel, some other birds, as the jackeasant, it feeds voraciously on ry time it becomes remark