264 NOTES ON THE 



the sparrows, and indeed almost every known species of the 

 kind, whose combinations are not very long. It must be under- 

 stood that these performances are invariably en sutta voce, and 

 audible to only those who are embraced in his auditorium by 

 chances of fortuitous accident, which keeps the performer in 

 blissful ignorance of his presence. My first opportunity tran- 

 spired by my being placed in the covert of a fallen tree-top, to 

 which the leaves were still clinging, before daylight in the 

 morning to await a band of deer that were to be driven near 

 there by a party of drivers acquainted with their "runs." I 

 had been there nearly two hours in almost breathless silence, 

 scarcely moving a muscle lest I might be discovered and while 

 thus waiting numerous birds had been twittering and flying 

 about the spot of my concealment ever since the daylight had 

 come, amongst which were many Blue Jays. Now, any experi- 

 enced hunter knows that if one of these irrepressible jays 

 catches sight of him, his chances of a shot at a deer that is any- 

 where near him are gone for that time, and having just before 

 received a preconcerted signal that some were approaching, 

 my attention was centered upon a number of these birds but a 

 little distance from me, ready to rob me of the fruits and con- 

 siderations of my mutual sacrifices, when I saw and heard such 

 a mimicry of many of the little birds before mentioned as no 

 language can describe. Only one individual was engaged, and 

 the notes which fell in showers like dewdrops, almost inaudible, 

 were among the clearest, most delicate, sweet and melodious 

 that ever found their way into a human ear. I was in an 

 ecstacy of wonder and surprise, and only sighed in silence that 

 every lover of bird-song could not share my delight. I forgave 

 him everything I had ever seen, heard, or surmised against 

 him, and have never since harbored any but the kindest feel ■ 

 ings toward him. If a diet upon canary brains and mocking 

 bird's eyes afford such inspiration, these songsters contribute 

 as much in their deaths as in their lives, and the regally plumed 

 Blue Jay should live forever. Since then I have his secret, and 

 I have many times been his auditor undiscovered, and I have 

 found that when undiscovered, he will prolong these solo per- 

 formances considerable, constantly varying and modulating 

 them in the most pleasing manner, 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Crest about one-third longer than the bill; tail graduated; 

 general color above light purplish-blue; wings and tail feath- 

 ers ultramarine-blue; the secondaries and tertials, the greater 

 wing coverts and the exposed surface of the tail sharply 

 banded with black and broadly tipj)ed with white, except on 

 the central tail feathers; beneath white; tinged with purplish- 

 blue on the throat and with bluish-brown on the sides; a black 

 crescent on the forepart of the breast, the horns passing for- 

 wards and connecting with a half collar on the back of the 



