The UNLUCKY JAY (_Perisoreus infaustus_) is about twelve inches long and
eighteen broad; its wing and tail measure five and a half inches. The
prevailing colour of the adults is a light reddish grey, the quills and
centre tail-feathers are grey, while upon the wings and the exterior
tail-feathers there are patches of reddish brown; the upper part of the
head is blackish brown. Young birds are known by the comparative paleness
of their tints, and the indistinct markings upon the lower portions of
the body. The eyes are greyish brown, the beak and feet black.
The dense fir and pine forests of Russia and Siberia are in some places
numerously inhabited by this species, which has been known to fly as
far as Germany, and, though rarely, is occasionally seen in Norway and
Lapland. In some respects it resembles the bird we last described,
but its activity and intelligence are inferior, and its mischievous
propensities by no means so conspicuous as in the Common Jay. Wilson
tells us that it is so bold and inquisitive that it will perch upon the
cap of the woodcutter when engaged at his work, and testifies so little
fear of man as to follow flocks of reindeer to their resting-place, even
when accompanied by their herdsman. Its gait upon the ground resembles
that of the Jackdaw, but amongst the branches it is considerably more
active in its movements. When perching upon a tree it often appears
to be under no anxiety to conceal itself, and seems to trust to the
inconspicuous colour of its attire as a sufficient protection from
the eye of an enemy. The flight of the Unlucky Jay is unsteady and
struggling, and its cry, which is composed of two syllables, has been
compared to that of a man in distress; Schräder speaks of it as being not
unlike that of the Shrike, composed of various hoarse notes, mingled with
sounds resembling the mewing of a cat. Nuts, berries, seeds, acorns, and
insects of all kinds are eagerly sought after by these birds; they will
climb amongst the fir and pine trees like Titmice, to obtain the contents
of the cones, in very much the same manner as that practised by the
Cross-bills, and as winter approaches will lay up a goodly store of these
provisions; but their hoards are frequently plundered by squirrels or
woodpeckers who have managed to discover the secret of their hiding-place.
This species commences its building operations in March: a nest which we
obtained was a large structure, formed externally of twigs, moss, grass,
and strips of pine branches; the interior was lined with an extremely
thick layer of hair and Ptarmigan feathers. The eggs are usually from
five to seven in number, of a greenish white, thickly covered with
irregular dingy spots of greenish grey or olive green. The attachment of
these birds to their young is extreme; should a sportsman approach their
nest, the parent will fly down, and hobble along the ground as though
lame, in order to draw his attention from the little family, and should
it succeed in luring him to a safe distance from the spot, will rise
suddenly into the air, and return by a circuitous flight to the place
from whence it came.
When a flock of these birds is discovered, their capture is accomplished
with little difficulty, for they will never desert each other in a
moment of danger, so that should one member of the party be taken the
rest become an easy prey. The Unlucky Jays are commonly to be met with
throughout the whole of the fur districts in North America, where they
may be seen hovering about the encampments of the trappers during the
whole season. According to the account of Captain Blackiston, their
capture is sometimes accomplished in the following manner:--A man lays
himself flat down, either in a boat or upon the ground, draws a cloth
over his head and shoulders, stretches out his hand, in which he holds
a scrap of dry meat, and quietly awaits the result; his purpose is soon
accomplished, for down come the birds to attack the meat, when, just
as they are about to give the first peck at the tempting morsel, the
treacherous hand seizes upon them with an irresistible grasp.
* * * * *
The LONG-TAILED CROWS (_Glaucopes_) are distinguished by their powerful
and moderately long beak, which is broad at the base and compressed
towards the tip. The upper mandible is slightly arched, hooked at its
extremity, and covered at the base with short velvety feathers. The wings
are short, their fifth quill longer than the rest; the tail is long and
graduated, the feet strong, and the tarsus longer than the middle toe.
The coloration of the plumage is brilliant. Like the Jackdaws, these
birds almost exclusively frequent thick forests, and closely resemble
the foregoing groups in their habits; the few facts we give below apply
equally to them and the following species.
* * * * *
The TREE MAGPIES (_Dendrocitta_) constitute a group of Jays inhabiting
India. They are large birds, with short, compressed, and very decidedly
arched beaks; short, abruptly rounded wings, of which the fifth and sixth
quills are longer than the others; wedge-shaped, elongated tails, the
two centre feathers extending far beyond the rest; and with tolerably
strong or short feet. So entirely are these Tree Magpies to be regarded
as Indian, that not more than one or two of the five species mentioned by
Jerdon are met with in neighbouring countries. We select for description
the Kotri of the Hindoos (_Dendrocitta rufa_), or, as we shall call it,