286 THE WINTER BIRDS. 



THE BLUE-JAY. 



If we visit any part of the forest or live near it in 

 the winter, we are sure to be greeted by the voice of the 

 lively Blue Jay, another of our well-known winter birds. 

 He has a beautiful outward appearance, under which he 

 conceals an unamiable temper and a propensity to mis- 

 chief. There is no bird in our forest that is arrayed in 

 equal splendor. His neck of fine purple, his pale, azure 

 crest and head with silky plumes, his black crescent- 

 shaped collar, his wings and tail-feathers of bright blue 

 with stripes of white and black, and his elegant form 

 and vivacious manners render him attractive to every 

 visitor of the woods. 



But with all his beauty, he has, like the Peacock, a 

 harsh voice. He is a thief and a disturber of the peace. 

 He is a sort of Ishmael among the feathered tribes, who 

 are startled at the sound of his voice and fear him as a 

 bandit. The farmer, who is well acquainted with his 

 habits, is no friend to him ; for he takes not only what 

 is required for his immediate wants, but hoards a variety 

 of articles in large quantities for future use. It would 

 seem as if he were aware when engaged in an honest and 

 when in a dishonest expedition. While searching for 

 food in the field or the open plain, he is extremely noisy ; 

 but when he ventures into a barn to take what does not 

 belong to him, he is silent and stealthy and exhibits all 

 the peculiar manners of a thief. 



It would be no mean task to enumerate all the acts of 

 mischief perpetrated by this bird, and I cannot but look 

 upon him as one of the most guilty of the winged inhab- 

 itants of the wood. He plunders the cornfield both at 

 seed-time and harvest ; he steals every edible substance 

 he can find and conceals it in his hiding-places ; he de- 

 stroys the eggs of smaller birds and devours their young. 



