258 THE FEATHERED TRIBES. 



Tin's bird is bolievod to be peculiar to North America, and is regarded ^Ith great interest 

 on account of tbe brilliancy of Ms plumage, the address of his tones and gestures, and his 

 strange loquacity. He is an almost universal inhabitant of the woods, frequenting the 

 deepest recesses of the forest, where in the spring ho pours forth his harmony in every 

 thicket, and where his squalling voice often alarms the deer, to the great indignation of 

 the hunter. lie has great variety of \;ndulations of voice, according to the humour of 

 the moment, while there is scarcely a bird to whose peculiarities of song he cannot tune 

 his note. Sometimes he indulges in soft chatterings like those of the duck, but no sooner 

 does he discover the approach of a stranger, than he sets up a sudden and vehement 

 outcry, flying off from the thick foliage of the cedar where ho has been concealed, and 

 screaming with all his might, as if calling all the feathered tribes of the neighbourhood to 

 witness some outrageous usage he had received. Tlie call-note which he utters to the 

 female has been described by Wilson as easily mistaken by a stranger for the repeated 

 "screakings" of an imgreased wheelbarrow. 



The jay measures seven inches in length, the head being ornamented with a crest of 

 light blue or purple feathers, which he can elevate or depress, while a narrow line of 

 black runs along the frontlet, rising on each side higher than the ej^e. A collar of black, 

 proceeding from the hind head, passes with a graceful curve down each side of the neck 

 to the upper part of the breast, where it forms a crescent; the throat and belly are white; 

 the greater wing-coverts are a rich blue ; the interior sides of the wing feathers are duskj^ 

 black; the tail is long and cuneiform; the breast and sides under the wings arc a dirty 

 white, and the tongue, bill, legs, and claws are black. 



This bird builds a large nest, usually in the cedar or apple tree, and lines the interior 

 with dry, fibrous roots. The male is especially careful not to be seen near the spot, that 

 he may not betray the locality, and pays his visits as silently and secretly as possible. 



The blue jay is a most determined enemy of the owl, whom he seems to have peculiar 

 gratification in toi'menting. Let him discover the retreat of one of these birds, and at 

 once summoning the whole feathered fraternity to his assistance, they attack him most 

 vigorously on all sides, and make a noise which, on a still day, may be heard more 

 than half a mile away ; while the owl acknowledges every expression of opinion in 

 reference to himself with a broad, goggling stare. At length, a sufficient number of 

 assailants are collected to make it inconvenient to stay longer, and foUowed by the entire 

 retinue of his foes, the owl retreats beyond their jurisdiction. 



The jay is by no means always a peaceable neighbour. Sometimes he may be seen 

 prowling along the woods and among the thickets and hedgerows, phmdering the eggs, 

 and tearing the young piecemeal, to the consternation and grief of their parents and the 

 spectators who approach the scene of desecration and slaughter. "When pressed witli 

 hmiger, he assaults little birds, and will even eat of any fragment of animal matter or 

 carrion ho may be able to secure. In some cases, however, he is far from showing this 

 ferocity of disposition. Mr. Wilson obtained one, and placed him in a cage witli a 

 female orchard oriole, who put on airs of alarm, as if she felt endangered and insulted by 

 such intrusion ; but as the jay conducted himself in the most humble and condesceiuling 

 way, her ceremonious jealousy vanished, and they lived on terms of perfect harmony and 

 good humour. ]5u( (ho eminent naturalist nutst tell the story in his own words : — " When 

 the jay goes to drink, his messmate very impudently jumps into the water to wash lu iself, 

 throwing the water in showers over her companion, who bears it all patiently, venturing 

 now and then to take a sip between every .splash, without betraying the smallest token of 

 irritation. On the contrary, he seems to take pleasure in his little fellow-prisdiier, 

 allowing her to pick (which she does very gently) about liis whiskers, and to clean his 

 claws from the minute fragments of chestnuts which happen to adhere to llicni. This 

 attaclimcnt on the one part, and mild condescension on tlic other, may, perhaps, be 



