tating black velvet: the tail is more cuneated than that of the
Siberian Jay.
This bird, Buffon fays, has not yet appeared in Europe; but he
does not tell us how he came by the defcription,
28. YBEELLLLOIWED*- __JAY.
D e s c r i p t io n .
Le Garlu, ou Geai a ventre Jaune de Cayenne, B u f, o tf. iii. p. u p .—
P L en l. 249.
^Tp'HE length o f this fpecies is nine inches. The bill flout,
like that of a Jay, and of a dulky black : the upper parts of
the head and its iides, the neck, and back, are of a greenilh
brown: on the middle of the crown is a golden yellow ftreak:
over each eye is a ftreak o f white, beginning at the upper mandible,
and palling on each fide almoft to the hind head : the chin
is white; the reft o f the under parts fine yellow; the wings
and tail reddilh brown, with paler margins: the legs are llender,
Ihort, and of a lead-colour.
P l a c e * This inhabits Cayenne.
+- MAGPIE.
D r s c r i p t io n>
Corvus pica, L in . Byfi. 3. p. 157. N° 13.— Scop, ann. x. p. 38. N°4i.—
M u ll. p. 12.
La Pie, B r if. o n . ii. p. 35. N° I .— B u f. o if. iii. p. 85. pi. j .- ~ P l. en l. 488.
Aelfter, fr i/ c b . t. 58.—K ram . e l. p. 335.
Magpye, or Planet, B a it S jn . p. 41. A. 1.—W ill. o n . p. 127. pi. 19.—
J ilin , i. pi. 15_B r . Z o o l. 1. N° 78.— Am . Z o o l. N°
B r . M u /. L e v . M u/.
'T pH IS meafures in length above eighteen inches, and weighs
eight or nine ounces. The bill is black: irides hazel: the
fcapulars, and all the under parts from the breaft, are white: the
2 reft
Subscription.
xntmuaui
reft of the plumage, wings, and tail, black, gloffed with green,
purple, and blue, in different lights : the eleven firft quills are
white in the middle, on the inner web, leffening by degrees as
they advance inwards ; the tail is very cuneiform, the two middle
feathers being near eleven inches in length, and the outmoft only
five inches and a half : the legs are black.
We can form no judgment of the beauties of this bird, from
thofe dirty, mutilated Ipecimens, which we fee expofed daily in a
wicker cage, at every ftall : ’tis only in a ftate of nature that they
can be found; and whoever views them in this ftate, will do fo
with aftonilhment ; for though the colours, at a diftant view, feem
to be mere black and white, yet the fplendor that accompanies,
. in every new fituation, the eye of the beholder, will oblige him to
own, that there is not a more beautiful bird in England.
In thefe parts it is every where common. I have been able to
trace this bird no farther fouth than Italy on the European continent
; and to the north, Sweden and Denmark. Forfter met with
it at Madeira ; and it is alfo feen in America, but not common,
and is a bird of paffage in thofe parts. At Hudfon's-Bay it is
called by the Indians Oue-ta-kee-ajke, which lignifies Heart-Bird ;
but for what reafon, I could never learn.
In manners it approaches to the Crow, feeding almoft on every
thing in turn, both animal and vegetable ; and, like that, will kill
young ducks and chickens, and fuck the eggs. It builds its neft
with art, making a thorny cover at top, leaving a hole on the fide
for admittance- lays fix or feven pale greenilh eggs, thickly
fpotted with black. It is a crafty bird in every ftate, and, if
brought up young, becomes exceedingly familiar, and will talk a
great many fentences, as well as imitate every noife within hearing,
like a Parrot, but not near fo plain,
P lace s a k d
M a nne r s *
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