DR JER MEL 
On another occasion my attention was 
attracted to three jays sneaking about a 
barn. One hopped up the roof on one side 
with curious awkwardness, and down on the 
other to the eaves, where he stood peering 
over and underneath with diabolical leer. 
Another stood on a bar running out from 
the barn, also looking up, but with one eye 
on me, for he well knew his acts would not 
bear watching. The third perched on top 
of a lean-to which ran nearly to the eaves, 
and was completely absorbed in something 
underneath also. Suspecting mischief, I 
investigated. Sure enough, there were fifty 
or more swallows’ nests, some with eggs and 
some with young, glued fast to the side of 
the barn. In nearly every little doorway a 
head was looking out watching. The poor 
little mothers dared not leave even for food, 
while those hungry ogres were there waiting 
to seize their young. 
At least twenty of the song-birds’ nests I 
found in one season were devastated by jays. 
As a rule they punctured the eggs and 
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