ion CANADA JAY. 



fall uf Know iliiriiiu- the iiiiiht ami the i^rouml was coAercd with a white mantle. The 

 parly morning I'ound me inllowing an old logging roail tlirongh the woods. The branches 

 oCtlic trees which met over my head were bending with the weight of snow that lay 

 npon them, while the smaller umlergrowth was completely enshrouded. Thus I was entire- 

 ly surrounded I)y masses of glittering white which not only prevented my seeing the sky 

 overhead, but also excluded any extended view on either hand. I was some miles from 

 tb.e nearest setllement; thu^ not a living thing was in sight and not a sound brol^e tha 

 stillness, when a.t once I was somewhat startled by hearing a most peculiar note. A few 

 days lu'l'ore, two of us had cliased a lynx through this very section and I was certain 

 that the noise was nnide by one of those aniuials for it was a, kind of mew not unlike that 

 given bv the wild cat. This sound was repeated several times, followed by a low nuir- 

 muring and, as I remained pei-fectly quiet, the author of these peculiar notes approached 

 nearer when I was enable to discover that it wa.s a Camida Jay. Then another appeared 

 and still anothi'r until 1 was surrounded by quite a flock of them. They wore all vocifer- 

 ateing loudly as if sur[)rised at seeing a human being in such a lonely sp(d. but they were 

 not in tlie least shy i;s they came within a few feet of my head in order to examine me 

 critically. I have always found these birds tame in the section remote frmn settlements 

 but in the more cultivatc<l districts they soon become wild. Thus I found them very 

 difficult to approach at Bethel, Maine, where they occur in winter and where they are 

 frei[uenlly shot. 



This latter named point is about their southern range in winter, but on one occasion 

 I saw an individual in Newtonville. QMiis was in early summer some four years ago and 

 T was walking through the streets of the village accorapanieil by a, friend, when I observed 

 a, bird living ovi'r a vacant lot pursued by two or three Robins. It was flying very slow- 

 ly as if weary and, coming directly te\\ard us, alighted panting (Ui the sidewalk with- 

 in a few yan^s of oar fe<'t. I instantly went forwa.rd and recogniscil it as a Cana,da Jay 

 The poor bird was so completely dazed with fright, that I nearly caught it in my hands, 

 but, as I stooped to take it up, it flew into a neighboring garden taking refuge in some 

 ornamental evergreens where we I'oUowed and endeavored to capture it; but it always elud- 

 ed (mr grasp then, after recovering somewhat, flew away over some house tops and was lost 

 to our view. How this stranger came so far from its home, especially during such warm 

 summer weather, r(n:;;ins an unsolved mystery, nor did I ever hear of this particular Jay 

 again. 



In comparing the flight of the three Jays of whijh I have spoken, I find tliat that of 

 the Blue Jays is the strongest, and they frequently fly long distances; the Florida Jays 

 are inclined to .sail more, especially when moving across a short space and they seldom go 

 far at one time; while the Canada- Jays are the poorest flyers of them all usuall}^ sailing 

 about through the trees and seldom leaving the woods in order to taking a, prolonged flight. 

 They are very agile amoiig the trees, however, hopping from limb to limb with groat ra- 

 ])idity and when anxious to conceal themselves will manage to accomplish it in an exceed- 

 ingly short time. They aie said to brood in February placing their nests in evergreen 

 trees, thus the young appear in early spring. 



