56 



Bird Studies. 



BLUE JAY. SIX DAYS OLD. 



One of the birds was placed on a sheet of paper, and photographed on 



June 22d. Still a naked chick, with eyes scarcely opened, and with the quills 



of the wings just ap- 

 pearing, he was weak 

 and helpless, being un- 

 able on such a surface 

 either to raise his head 

 or to place his feet so 

 as to sustain himself. 

 He was then six days 

 old and his photograph 

 is appended. In a way 

 he is more reptilian 

 than bird-like in appear- 

 ance. 



Returned to the 

 nest, none the worse for 



his few moments' absence, he was photographed again in the same way on 



June 26th. The bird now ten days old had some pretensions to down, and 



its growth and that of the wing feathers was marked in the interval. The 



feet were now able to hold 



somewhat to the surface of 



the paper. The eyes were 



just opened, but hearing 



and feeling seemed still the 



principal sense agents. 



The next picture 

 shows another brood of 

 Blue Jays taken in the 

 same yard, presumably 

 about eleven days old. 

 They are in the act of 

 clamoring for food. 



This photograph was 

 made on June 12th. As 

 yet there is no definition 

 in pattern of feather color on the birds. They are appreciably stronger, 



BLUE JAY. TEN DAYS OLD. 



