326 OMNIVOROUS BIRDS. 



musical, so as to be scarcely heard beyond the thick 

 branches where he sits concealed ; but, as soon as dis- 

 covered, he bursts out into notes of rage and reproach, 

 accompanying his voice by jerks and actions of temerity 

 and defiance. Indeed the Jay of Europe, with whom our 

 beau agrees entirely in habits, is so irascible and violent 

 in his movements, as sometimes to strangle himself in the 

 narrow fork of a branch from which he has been found 

 suspended.* Like the European species, he also exhibits 

 a great antipathy to the Owl, and by his loud and savage 

 vociferation soon brings together a noisy troop of all the 

 busy birds in the neighbourhood. To this garrulous at- 

 tack the night-wanderer has no reply, but a threatening 

 stare of indifference ; and, as soon as opportunity offers, 

 he quietly slips from his slandering company. Advan- 

 tage, in some countries, is taken of this dislike for the 

 purpose of catching birds; thus the Owl being let out of 

 a box, sometimes makes a hoot, which instantly assem- 

 bles a motley group, who are then caught by liming the 

 neighbouring twigs on which they perch. In this gossip 

 the Jay and Crow are always sure to take part, if within 

 sight or hearing of the call, and are thus caught or des- 

 troyed at will. The common Jay is even fond of imitating 

 the harsh voice of the Owl and the noisy Kestril. I have 

 also heard the Blue Jay mock with a taunting accent the 

 he 00, ki 00, or quailing of the Red-Shouldered Hawk. 

 Wilson likewise heard him take singular satisfaction in 

 teasing and mocking the little American Sparrow Hawk,t 

 and imposing upon him by the pretended plaints of a 

 wounded bird, in which frolic several would appear to 

 join, until their sport sometimes ended in sudden con- 

 sternation, by the Hawk, justly enough, pouncing on one 

 of them as his legitimate and devoted prey. 



* See Gtesner de AvUms^ p. 702. f Falco Sparverius. 



