THE CANADA JAY. 57 



The Canada Jay is a very plain and unpretending 

 bird, being the only species of those we have named 

 which is destitute of a brilliant plumage ] its predoiu 

 inating colors being a dull slate and drab, with occa- 

 sional markings of black. It inhabits the State of 

 Maine, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, and in 

 winter a few individuals. are seen as far southward as 

 Pennsylvania. It is abundant in the Canadas and 

 Labrador, and has been found in the vicinity of Fort 

 Astoria, on the Columbia river. It becomes very 

 familiar with the wood-cutters of Maine, entering 

 their camps on very social terms, and helping itself 

 to such pieces of flesh as are within its reach. These 

 wood-cutters sometimes " amuse themselves in their 

 camp during their eating hours, with what they call 

 ' transporting the carrion bird/ This is done by cut- 

 ting a pole eight or ten feet in length, and balancing 

 it on the sill of their hut, the end outside the en- 

 trance being baited with a piece of flesh of any kind. 

 Immediately on seeing the tempting morsel, the Jays 

 alight on it, and while they are busily engaged in 

 devouring it, a wood-cutter gives a smart blow to the 

 end of the pole within the hut, which seldom fails 

 to drive the birds high in the air, and not unfre- 

 quently kills them."* 



Prince Maximilian's Jay was first discovered in 

 the Rocky Mountains by the celebrated naturalist 

 whose name it bears, while travelling in the interior 

 of North America. In form and general appearance, 

 as well as in other important particulars, it differs 



* Audubon. 



