155 



" and they neglected to brood the young: ones, which I opine died of cold. 

 " At two days they looked very strong: and healthy and were beinof fed by 

 " the old birds ; when I saw them dead, they had soft down on their bodies 

 " and were fine big Ijirds, well fed and strong, The nest was rather a large 

 " one and constructed of straw and grass roots, well lined with feathers." 



From tlie other details supplied I am of tlie opinion the 

 birds would have been reared but for tlie storm. While it is 

 not a first occurrence in this country (they liave been bred at 

 the Zoo where ahso a liybrid Malabar and Andaman Starling 

 has been fully reared) it is a most interesting^, and also for 

 Miss Baker a disappointing occurrence. 



I shall be obliged if members in similar circumstances (providing they 

 do not require them for preservation) would send me the bodies as soon after 

 death as practicable, for the purpose of gathering data. -Ed. 



Slaughter of Blue Jays : The following is an extract 

 from a letter by F. W. D'Evelyn, Pres. Cooper Ornithological Club, 

 appearing in the March issue of " The Condor." 



The writer deplores the slaughter (last season there were 

 6,000 counted scalps) of these bold, handsome an<l interesting 

 birds— the reason being the destruction of eggs and 3'oung 

 quail, etc., these must be preserved in egg and infancy, so that 

 the sportsman may " pot " them in early maturity, conse- 

 quently subscriptions are gathered and piizes offered for the 

 greatest number of scalps. 



That the bird is a marauder and pirate is beyond doubt, 

 nevertheless he is not quite so black as he is painted, as is 

 evidenced by the investigations of Prof. F. F). h. Beal. 



'• Prof. Beal tells us that in the stomachs of 141 Californian Jays 

 " (Aphelocoma californica and Cyanocit/a stelleri)Tie^ per cent, of the contents 

 " for the year consisted of animal matter and 65 per cent, vegetable, traces 

 " of egg shells were found only in twenty-one stomachs ; in another series 

 " of 300 stomachs only three contained egg shells, and two only bones of 

 " birds." 



It would be well if the members of C. O. C. would take the 

 trouble of investigating scientifically the habits and foods of 

 the Blue Jays in their respective districts. I have every confi- 

 dence that when it can be shown that the Blue Jay, or any 

 other black-listed species, have economic qualities agriculturally 

 much above the species sportsmen seek to preserve, that the 

 good sense of the sportsman and kindly feeling of the farmer's 

 boy will make them less ardent to earn prizes and doubtful 



