Notes on the Birds. ;i55 



It is cei'taln this siiccics is imicli iihut ((imiiKni in (lioso counties now 

 (han it was 30 to 40 years a.yo. In all pinli.il.iljt y il iicsts in Carroll County, 

 liul I have never fomul its iiost tliorc. 



M(mroc Count ji: I liavo n('\('r si'Oii llicin in ,iny considerable numbers in 

 this county except in winter. ()n FcluMiary Id. 1S,S3. and again two days 

 Inter. I found flocks of seNcral linndi'-d in .1 liirue meadow northwest of 

 r.loomin.irton. Tlie days wei-e cnld and slonny and snow covered tlie ground 

 everywhere (>xcept in situations sncli as in this meadow wliere the wind 

 tended to keep tlie ground nnnc oi' less have. The birds were moving about 

 in great flocks, alighting on .ind spiciding over tlie bare spots where they 

 searched for food. or. at times, stojiping at jialches of short weeds upon 

 the seeds of which tliey fed. 



Vigo Conntif: These birds were usually common in winter or late fall 

 and a few might he seen e\cn in the summer particularly nortli of Terre 

 Haute on the road to the Five-mile I'oiid. also south of the city, and in all 

 other prairie parts of the county. 



Tlie.se birds doubtless find the public highways good feeding grounds, 

 and the liabit is so well marked that in some places they have received 

 the very appropriate name of "roadsters". I heard this name applied 

 to them in Merced County, California, in 101S. 



116. Cyanocitt.\ CKisTAi'.v eiJisiMA ( l.iini;cus ). nr.uE jay. (477) 



Of all our native birds the Ulue .lay is perhaps the best known per- 

 manent resident. Every one knows the r.lue .lay. We all enjoy seeing 

 him about, albeit, his pert, not to say uinn.innerly. ways, somtimes seriously 

 tax our patience. And then we often have a suspici(m that his presence 

 about the house or in the orchard means harm to the eggs or young of 

 other birds that enjoy a greater measure of our confidence and respect. 



But at times I have found the blue Jays (piite useful. When out col- 

 lecting, if I heard one or more jays, about a hole in some old tree, using 

 a lot of Blue Jay profanity and raising a general huUaballoo, I could 

 he sure that there was a screech owl in that same hole. I have secured 

 many a fine specimen with the aid of the blue jays in this way. 



I think the Blue Jay is about equally common in all the counties covered 

 l)y this paper. In Carroll County, it is quite common throughout the year. 

 It is quite disposed to nest in the fruit trees and other trees about dwell- 

 in.gs. April 21. 1S83. nest with three eggs. On April 4. 1SS4. a pair ob- 

 .served building in a shade-tree in Dolph McKinney's yard in Camden. 

 Others seen nesting on April 10. On my old home farm one or more pairs 

 usually nested in one of the cedar or spruce trees in the front yard, and 

 for some years at least one nest might he found in an apple tree in the 

 orchard. On this farm the ja.v birds appear to be much le.ss common now 

 than formerly. While spending the week of .luiie 2o to July 1. 1905. there 

 I saw only one Blue Jay. Noted by Miss Ava Evermann of Burlington 

 October 28. 1907, when several were seen in the woods, and again on 

 New Year's da.v. 1008. when one was seen in the woods. They were com- 

 mon in town all winter. 



Favorite nesting sites for the Bine Jay were in the large hawthorns which 

 were common in the edges of the woods .md in the more open places along 

 the creeks. 



