1 6 WARREN, The Canada Jay. [ A ^ 



which I nailed a few cleats to assist in climbing and as resting 

 places while watching the birds feed their young. I fastened 

 these trees together with heavy twine to give them mutual sup- 

 port. Seven feet from the nesting tree was a larger spruce which 

 I fitted up as an observatory and camera stand and from which 

 all my successful exposures were made. 



The first picture (Fig. i) was taken on the morning of March 

 25, after incubation had advanced at least six days, and the 

 mother bird had begun to sit quite closely. The front of the 

 camera was a little over five feet from the nest and I stood just be- 

 hind the camera barely seven feet from the bird. It required the 

 greatest amount of patience to secure this picture as the clay, though 

 fairly clear, was windy and cloudy at times. The bird seemed 

 to leave the nest just when the light was most favorable, ieturn- 

 ing to warm the eggs, then away again for a moment, until I 

 almost despaired of obtaining a good picture ; but finally a short 

 timed exposure was made under favorable conditions. Having 

 a picture of the nest I next attempted to photograph the nest and 

 eggs in situ, but I was unable to, as I had no means of fastening 

 my camera in so slender a tree in a position to secure a properly 

 focused picture, without rigging up an elaborate stand, which 

 would have attracted the attention of passersby and resulted in 

 the destruction of the nest. In my efforts to secure this picture 

 I had nearly demolished the beautiful canopy which protected 

 the nest from above and which it was necessary to remove in 

 order to get a clear view of the nest and contents. I had also 

 caused the poor birds much discomfort. The female was always 

 on the nest when I came but left as soon as I had climbed the 

 tree, uttering a loud clear alarm note, which soon brought the 

 male soaring from over the trees to her side. Never did either 

 give voice to a harsh, scolding note, but showed their excitement 

 by hopping restlessly about in the tree just out of reach, raising 

 and lowering the feathers of the head, twitching their tails and 

 uttering in low' tones several notes, among which were some 

 which could be expressed by the syllables koke, koke-ke-keer, keer, 

 keer. Koke-ke-keer (uttered quickly) is a favorite cry of this bird, 

 and when given loudly can be heard very plainly for over a quar- 

 ter of a mile. 



