SOME MISCHIEF-MAKERS 133 
my attention was attracted by the notes of a Blue Jay, not the 
ordinary cry, but a series of regular calls, followed by answers 
from a neighbouring tree. There was something so peculiarly 
like a communication of thought about the sound that I went 
to the place, and saw an old Blue Jay perched on a fence some 
distance from the tree where there were others. 
On my nearing the bird, the calls from the others became 
more frequent and loud, changing from a low, pleasant communi- 
cative tone to shrill alarm. Thinking that he was injured in 
some way, I went up to him and found that at least he was 
partially blind. The eyes were blurred and dim, the beautiful 
blue feathers were faded; in fact, the general appearance of the 
bird was so different as to be seen at a glance; the claws were 
worn, the bill dulled, and the wings and tail ragged. Every 
feature suggested old age and feebleness. Yet he was watched 
and cared for as tenderly as ever a growing bird in the nest. 
No sooner had I caught him than there were at least a dozen 
Jays close at hand whose sympathy and interest were manifest 
as clearly as could be with words. 
After a thorough examination I let him go, when he flew in 
the direction of the sound of the others, but did not succeed in 
alighting among the smaller branches of the tree, and finally 
settled on a large limb near the ground. I saw him, after that, 
every day for a week, and never did his companions desert him, 
some one of them being always near and warning him of danger, 
when he would fly toward the sound of their voices. 
They guided him regularly to a spring near by, where I saw 
him bathe daily, always, however, with some of his companions 
close by. 
They not only watched and guided him, but they fed him. 
I had noticed, some days before, Jays carrying food and thought 
it strange at that season, as there were no young to feed, but 
found afterwards, to my surprise and pleasure, that the poor, 
blind bird was being fed by those he could no longer see. 
“So you see the Jay, with all his bad tricks and nest- 
robbing, has his good points, and we will not shoot him, 
