BIRD BIOGRAPHIES 



the Biological Survey in Washington, brings the follow- 

 ing accusation against this bird: 



"The blue jay is of a dual nature. Cautious and silent 

 in the vicinity of its nest, away from it, it is bold and 

 noisy. Sly in the commission of mischief, it is ever ready 

 to scream 'thief at the slightest disturbance. As usual 

 in such cases, its remarks are applicable to none more 

 than itself, a fact neighboring nest-holders know to their 

 sorrow, for during the breeding season the jay lays heavy 

 toll upon the eggs and young of other birds, and in doing 

 so deprives us of the services of species more beneficial 

 than itself." ^ 



Mr. E. R. Kalmbach, also of the Biological Survey, 

 says that in winter jays eat the eggs of the tent caterpillar, 

 and the larvae of the brown-tail moth, besides waste grain, 

 and "mast," — the name given to vegetable food such as 

 acorns, beechnuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts, etc. It likes pe- 

 cans and cultivated fruit in their season — two other points 

 against the bird. The wild fruits it selects are of no 

 economic value. 



Mr. Kalmbach concludes: "The blue jay probably 

 renders its best service to man in destroying grasshoppers 

 late in the season and in feeding on hibernating insects 

 and their eggs, as they do in the case of the tent caterpillar 

 and brown-tail moth. Beetles and weevils of various 

 kinds also fall as their prey. The severest criticism 

 against the species is the destruction of other birds and 

 their eggs. Where we wish to attract the latter in large 

 numbers about our dooryards, in our parks, and in game 



2 Farmers' Bulletin 513, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of 

 Biological Survey. 



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