120 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICUI/rURAL SOCIETY. 



In writing about the Long-crested Jay, Dr. Elliott Cones says:* 

 "All jays make their share of noise in the world ; they fret and scold 

 about trifles, quarrel over anything, and keep everything in a ferment 

 when they are about. The particular kind we are now talking about 

 is nowise behind his fellows in these respects — a stranger to modesty 

 and forbearance and the many gentle qualities that charm us in some 

 little birds and endear them to us; he is a regular fillibuster, ready 

 for any sort of adventure that promises sport or spoil, even if spiced 

 with danger. Sometimes he ])rowls about alone, but oftener has a 

 band of choice spirits with him, who keep each other in countenance 

 (for our jay is a coward at heart, like other bullies), and share the 

 plunder on the usual terms in such cases, of each one taking all he can 

 get. Once I had a chance of seeing a band of these guerillas on a 

 raid; they went at it in good style, but came off very badly, indeed. 

 A vagabond troop made a descent upon a bush-clump, where, proba- 

 bly, they expected to find eggs to suck, or at any rate a chance for 

 mischief and amusement. To their intense joy they surprised a little 

 owl quietly digesting his grasshoppers, with both eyes shut. Here 

 was a lark ! and a chance to wipe out a part of the score that jays keep 

 ao^ainst owls for iniuries received time out of mind. In the tumult 

 that ensued the little birds scurried off, the woodpeckers overhead 

 stopped taj)piug to look on, and a snake that was basking in a sunny 

 spot concluded to crawl into his hole. The jays lunged furiously at 

 their enemy, who sat helpless, bewildered by the sudden onslaught, 

 trying to look as big as possible, with his wings set for bucklers and 

 his bill snapping; meanwhile twisting his head till I thought he would 

 wring it off trying to look all ways at once. The jays, emboldened by 

 partial success, grew more impudent, till their victim made a break 

 through their ranks and flapped into the heart of a neigiiboring juni- 

 j>er, hoping to be protected by the tough, thick foliage. Tlie jays 

 went trooping aft.er, and 1 hardly know how the fight would have 

 ended had I not thought it time to take a hand in the game myself. 

 I secured the owl first, * * * and then shot four of the jays 

 before they made up their minds to be off." 



"It is difficult to describe the notes of this jay, he is such a gar- 

 rulous creature and has such a variety of outcries. He ordinarily 

 screams at the top of his voice, until he is tired or something attracts 



* " Birds of the Colorado Valley." 



