2 Baby Birds at Home 



a dusky green colour very thickly spotted 

 with light brown. 



The baby birds are fed in the most 

 curious manner by their parents. Old Jays 

 do not carry food for their chicks in the 

 same way that starlings convey it to their 

 young ones. Instead of being held in the 

 bill and shown plainly to every observer, it 

 is cunningly hidden in the mouth and thrust 

 right down the throat of the hungry baby 

 bird, so that, look however carefully he may, 

 the observer cannot see what it is. 



In some parts of the country where food 

 is doubtless very plentiful, young Jays re- 

 main with their parents all the autumn 

 and far into the winter, but, of course, in 

 districts where food is scarce the family 

 parties have to break up earlier and scatter, 

 otherwise the supply would soon be ex- 

 hausted and the weakest would starve. 



Young Jays make very interesting pets 

 and with a little patience can be taught to 

 talk. Keeping wild birds in cages, however, 

 is not a practice to be encouraged, unless 

 it is the only way to save the unfortunate 

 creatures from the wrath of the gamekeeper 

 or the gardener. 



