Blue Jay 103 



act as a sentinel of the forest; and, when all the leaves have 

 turned to crimson and gold, when the Ruffed Grouse is drum- 

 ming, and Bob-white has mustered his numerous family into 

 whirring bands, the Jay remains on guard on some leafy height 

 and invariably sounds the alarm note as the huntsman appears 

 in the land. This is a wild, exasperating scream like to nothing 

 else in the woods. It is immediately repeated by other unseen 

 Jays and there is a scurrying of the feathered folk all through 

 the forest. The gunner just naturally gets mad and, if he 

 can, sends a charge of shot in the direction of the enemy of 

 his sport. But to the credit of the Jay's shrewdness be it 

 said, that he generally manages to slip away on skilful wings 

 to a place of safety before "the fowler's piece has marked his 

 flight to do him wrong." 



But if the Jay is the guardian of the other birds during 

 the shooting season, he plays a different role in the Spring. 

 While he is convenient to the birds in the Autumn, ofttimes 

 saving several lives, they do not seem to take him very 

 seriously as an altruist, remembering doubtless the trouble he 

 has caused during the breeding season. Now the murder is 

 out! Blue Jay has a penchant for other birds' eggs, 

 especially those of birds smaller than he. He eats as many 

 as his appetite demands, and then pecks holes in the others, 

 through malice aforethought or malicious mischief. Still he 

 is a zealous guardian of his own home, which is a picturesque 

 structure of sticks and tender vines, placed in any desirable 

 fork of low shrub or lofty tree. 



The Jay is a permanent resident of Albany County. In 

 the Winter he is wild and distant, and is more frequently seen 

 in the Fall, than in Spring or Summer. 



