THE BLUE JAY. 



r^A URING about three- fourths 

 1 of the year the American 



Is* y J^y ^^ ^^ extremely tame, 

 (""^"^^^ noisy and even obstrusive 

 bird in its habits. As the breeding 

 season approaches he suddenly becomes 

 silent, preparing the nest in the most 

 secluded parts of his native forests, and 

 exercising all his cunning to keep it 

 concealed. He is omniverous but is 

 especially fond of eggs and young 

 birds. The Jay may be regarded as 

 eminently injurious though in spring 

 he consumes a number of insects to 

 atone for his sins of stealing fruit and 

 berries in autumn. He is a professional 

 nest robber, and other birds are as 

 watchful of him as is a mother of her 

 babe. He glides through the foliage 

 of the trees so swiftly and noiselessly 

 that his presence is scarcely suspected 

 until he has committed some depreda- 

 tion. The Robin is his most wary foe, 

 and when the Jay is found near his 

 nest will pursue him and drive him 

 from the neighborhood. He is as 

 brave as he is active, however, and 

 dashes boldly in pursuit of his more 

 plainly attired neighbors who venture 

 to intrude upon his domain. 



The Jay has a curious antipathy 

 toward the owl, perching on trees 

 above it and keeping up a continual 

 screeching. Some years ago an Ohio 

 gentleman was presented with a mag- 

 nificent specimen of the horned owl, 



which he kept for a time in a large tin 

 cage. In favorable weather the cage 

 was set out of doors, when it would 

 soon be surrounded by Jays, much in 

 the manner described of the Toucan, 

 and an incessant screeching followed, 

 to which the owl appeared indifferent. 

 They would venture near enough to 

 steal a portion of his food, the bars of 

 his cage being sufficiently wide apart 

 to admit them. On one occasion, 

 however, he caught the tail of a Jay 

 in his claws and left the tormentor 

 without his proud appendage. 



The Jay remains with us through- 

 out the year. He is one of the wildest 

 of our birds, the shyest of man, 

 although seeing him most. He makes 

 no regular migrations at certain sea- 

 sons, but, unless disturbed, will live out 

 his life close to his favorite haunts. 

 His wings show him to be unfitted for 

 extended flight. 



Jays are most easily discovered in 

 the morning about sunrise on the tops 

 of young live oaks. Their notes are 

 varied. Later in the day it is more 

 difficult to find them, as they are more 

 silent, and not so much on the tree 

 tops as among the bushes. 



The Jays breed in woods, forests, 

 orchards, preferring old and very shady 

 trees, placing their nests in the center 

 against the body, or at the bifurcation 

 of large limbs. The nest is formed of 

 twigs and roots ; the eggs are from 

 four to six. 



THE BLUE JAY. 



Something glorious, something gay, 

 Flits and flashes this-a-way ! 

 'Thwart the hemlock's dusky shade. 

 Rich in color full displayed, 

 Swiftly vivid as a flame — 

 Blue as heaven and white as snow — 

 Doth this lovely creature go. 

 What may be his dainty name ? 

 " Only this" — the people say — 

 ' Saucy, chattering, scolding Jay ! " 



41 



