JOURNAI. OF MAINE ORNITHOI.OGICAI, vSOCIETY. 67 



ily on their return, keeping up his chatter as if he were relating 

 what had occurred during their absence. 



When one was sewing he would perch on the edge of her work- 

 basket and amuse himself by taking out the articles it contained 

 and dropping them, one by one, to the floor with the most roguish 

 air imaginable. 



He would lift the cover of a metal stamp-box, place in it what- 

 ever he wished to keep, and put the cover down. 



He was very mischievous and knew perfectly well when he was 

 doing wrong, for, when caught in any of his misdeeds, he would 

 raise his crest, fluff out his feathers, and, putting his head on one 

 side, would look at one in a saucy way, as much as to say, "Yes, 

 I've done it; what will you do about it?" 



Sometimes when he was out of his cage he would hide, and if 

 one said, "Where is Charlie? Here is something for Charlie," he 

 would come out with a great flourish of wings. At other times no 

 amount of coaxing would induce him to appear, but wdien he was 

 found he would manifest great glee. 



He had the Blue Jay habit of hiding things, and his treasures 

 were to be found everywhere, for idleness was not one of his faults. 

 In consequence of this trait one had to be very careful about leaving 

 certain things within his reach. Often, when deprived of his booty, 

 he would stamp loudly with his feet, fly at the person who interfered 

 with his enjoyment, and give her one or two sharp pecks. 



He did not enjoy being caught, but he would perch on the 

 heads, shoulders and hands of the members of the family, and would 

 take dainties from their lips while on the wing. 



One day, shortly before he went away, a hat pin was missing. 

 Charlie mounted to his post of observation in the corner of his cage 

 and watched its owner as she made a fruitless search for it, listening 

 meanwhile to certain incriminating remarks in regard to himself. 

 That afternoon, as soon as he was liberated from his cage, he took 

 the pin from the place where he had hidden it, flew to the one to 

 whom it belonged with it in his beak and laid it before her. This 

 is but one of the many instances of his sagacity. 



