266 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 



ning, and a tendency to thievishness. The difficulty of ap- 

 proaching these birds with a gun is proverbial. The}- are 

 brave in defending their nests from the approach of other 

 birds, but, in turn, are A'erj^ commonly pursued and anno3-ed 

 b}' the pugnacious King-bird. They frequent]}- follow hawks, 

 who easily avoid, and seemingly disregard them; and they 

 take great pleasure in mobbing owls, whom they surround with 

 nois}' greetings, whenever discovered in the da3'-time. Wilson, 

 however, quotes an anecdote of one being killed by a large owl 

 at evening. 



(d). The notes of the Crow, which are highl}- unmusical, 

 are ordinarily a slightly prolonged caw, or a shorter och fre- 

 quently repeated. There is another distinct cry, more gut- 

 tural, which suggests the rattling of a rope through a pulley. 

 This I at first attributed to individuals with "broken" voices, 

 but I am now inclined to believe that it is merel}' peculiar to 

 the season of spring. It is perhaps also used as a note to their 

 young, whose voice is feebler and distinct from that of their 

 parents. The Crows, in producing their notes, are obliged to 

 gesticulate, when perched, and occasionally (in individuals) to 

 suspend the motion of their wings, when flying. 



Of all our birds, the crows and jays are doubtless most 

 wortl)}^ of being destroyed. The former have not, however, I 

 think, diminished in numbers, as Mr. Allen believed to be the 

 case when he wrote his catalogue, but, on the contrary, have 

 steadily increased. They are in summer abundant throughout 

 a larger part of New England. 



II. CYANURUS 



(A) CRiSTATus. Blue Jay. 



(A common resident throughout Massachusetts.) 



(o). 11-12 inches long, and crested. Above, purplish-blue; 

 beneath, white, becoming distinctl}' gra}^ on the breast, and 

 bluish on the throat. Wings and tail, bright blue, more or 

 less black-barred, and white-tipped (except the primaries). 

 Collar and frontlet, black. 



{b). The nest is generally placed in a low pine, or other 



