152 BIRDS OF FIELD, FOREST AND PARK 



generally common throughout as permanent 

 residents. 



Canada Jay. A very interesting bird com- 

 mon enough in the great woods of the Northern 

 States and Canada, but practically unknown 

 in the open country, is the Canada Jay. Among 

 the lumbermen who know him intimately he is 

 called by a variety of names, Moose Bird, Meat 

 Hawk and Whiskey Jack being the most com- 

 mon. When hunting big game in the deep wilder- 

 ness, you may travel for days without seeing 

 one of these birds; but no sooner have you 

 killed a deer or moose and begun to dress the 

 carcass than they appear to you as though they 

 had been following you closely, waiting for a 

 successful issue to your quest. One wonders at 

 their sudden appearance on silent wing, and no 

 less remarkable is their utter fearlessness. So 

 close do they come and so insistent are they in 

 their efforts to share with you the spoils of the 

 hunt that they seem impertinent, and almost 

 stupid. 



The explanation of their unusual boldness is 

 probably found in the fact that being dwellers 

 in the thick woods, away from the haunts of 

 man, like the Grouse of the same locality, they 

 have not as yet suffered greatly at his hands, 

 and consequently have not developed fear of 

 him. It is rather a sad commentary upon the 

 attitude of man toward the feathered creatures 

 that, without doubt, did the Canada Jay live in 

 the open country, he would become in a short 

 time as shy and fearful as the great majority of 

 our familiar birds. 



