LAND lilRDS. 



413 



in every part of the state 

 during winter as well as 

 summer, yet in many sec- 

 tions there is a well marked 

 migration, thousands pass- 

 ing southward in Septem- 

 ber and October and north- 

 ward again in . May. At 

 Poi't Huron Mr. Hazelwood 

 states that a large flight 

 starts about JNIay first and 

 lasts all through the month, 

 thousands passing north. 

 It is possible that the 

 individuals which remain 

 with us through winter 

 have come from places 

 farther north and that the 

 birds which nest in any one 

 locality move farther south 

 in winter. They frequent ; 



Fig. 98. Blue Jay. 



Photograph from mounted specimen. 



(Original.) 



kinds of timber and seem to have a special 

 liking for orchards and the vicinity of towns and villages. In this respect 

 they differ widely from the Blue Jays of the eastern states, which avoid 

 populous districts and are inclined to be shy and retiring. 



On the College campus the Blue Jay is one of our most familiar birds. 

 The nest is placed in apple trees, shade trees, either deciduous or evergreen, 

 often within reach of the hand; the birds show almost no fear of human 

 beings, and in defense of their nests will often strike a person on the head 

 or even swoop down and peck a cat or dog. During winter they live 

 largely upon scraps furnished by the residents, but whenever the snow is 

 not too deep they hunt for acorns and other hidden stores which are buried 

 in the ground. 



Nesting may begin very early, but eggs are rarely laid before the first 

 of May. We have repeatedly seen birds repairing old nests and starting 

 new ones in March, and on one occasion a pair worked several days on a 

 nest in the middle of February, but we have never seen young out of the 

 nest before June first, and although but one brood seems to be reared, we 

 have occasionally seen young unable to fly during the first week in July, 

 Old birds feeding four young just out of the nest were found on July 15, 

 1903. On July 31, 1907, we examined a nest near the College which con- 

 tained a single egg and two young, possibly three or four days old. This 

 of course was a second brood. On the same day an adult Ja}^ was seen 

 feeding a full grown young one which was following her about and clamoring 

 for more; and even on August 18, 1907, old Jays were seen feeding full 

 grown young. 



Among eight nests containing fresh eggs, found in Kalamazoo county 

 by the late Dr. Westncdge, the earliest was found May 5, 1888, and the latest 

 May 31, 1886. The greater number of nests were found between May 10 

 and 25. The eggs vary greatly in color, the ground color being pea-green, 

 olive-green, buff, and even cream-color, more or less heavily spotted with 

 brown 'and lavender of various shades. They average about 1.10 by .81 

 inches. 



