BLUE JAY. 137 



humble and peaceable way, she also descended, and began to do the 

 same ; but at the slightest motion of her new guest, wheeled round and 

 put herself on the defensive. All this ceremonious jealousy vanished 

 before evening, and they now roost together, feed, and play together, in 

 perfect harmony and good humor. When the Jay goes to drink, his 

 messmate very impudently jumps into the water to wash herself, throw- 

 ing 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-prisoner, allowing her to pick 

 (which she does very gently) about his whiskers, and to clean his claws 

 from the minute fragments of chestnuts which happen to adhere to them. 

 This attachment on the one part, and mild condescension on the other, 

 may, perhaps, be partly the effect of mutual misfortunes, which are found 

 not only to knit mankind, but many species of inferior animals, more 

 closely together ; and shows that the disposition of the Blue Jay may 

 be humanized, and rendered susceptible of affectionate impressions, even 

 for those birds, which, in a state of nature, he would have no hesitation 

 in making a meal of. 



He is not only bold and vociferous, but possesses a considerable talent 

 for mimicry, and seems to enjoy great satisfaction in mocking and 

 teasing other birds, particularly the little hawk {F. sparverius), imitating 

 his cry wherever he sees him, and squealing out as if caught ; this soon 

 brings a number of his own tribe around him, who all join in the frolic, 

 darting about the hawk, and feigning the cries of a bird sorely wounded, 

 and already under the clutches of its devourer ; while others lie con- 

 cealed in bushes, ready to second their associates in the attack. But 

 this ludicrous farce often terminates tragically. The hawk singling out 

 one of the most insolent and provoking, sweeps upon him in an un- 

 guarded moment, and offers him up a sacrifice to his hunger and resent- 

 ment. In an instant the tune is changed ; all their buffoonery vanishes, 

 and loud and incessant screams proclaim their disaster. 



Wherever the Jay has had the advantage of education from man, he 

 has not only shown himself an apt scholar, but his suavity of manners 

 seems equalled only by his art and contrivances ; though it must be 

 confessed that his itch for thieving keeps pace with all his other acquire- 

 ments. Dr. Mease, on the authority of Colonel Postcll, of South 

 Carolina, informs me, that a Blue Jay, which was brought up in the 

 family of the latter gentleman, had all the tricks and loquacity of a 

 parrot ; pilfered everything he could conveniently carry off, and hid 

 them in holes and crevices ; answered to his name with great sociability, 

 when called on ; could articulate a number of words pretty distinctly ; 

 and when he heard any uncommon noise or loud talking, seemed 

 impatient to contribute his share to the general festivity (as he probably 



