40 Bird-keeping. 



diversion which proved fatal to himself ; for, having 

 caused the fall of a sick cow on the ice by inciting the 

 dog -to attack her, the bird was complained of as a 

 nuisance and ordered to be destroyed. The Jay should 

 be kept in a large wicker or wire cage not less than 

 two feet square, and should be fed entirely on nuts 

 and wheat, with plenty of water for drinking and bath- 

 ing. If he has any other food in confinement the cage 

 will become offensive. 



The AMERICAN BLUE JAY (Cyanocorax cristatus) is 

 very like its English relative in many of its character- 

 istics. It is even more beautiful in its colouring, which, 

 on the upper part of the body, is of a light bluish- 

 purple, the wing-coverts being of a rich azure and 

 purple-blue, barred with black and tipped with white. 

 The crest is blue or purple, and it has a black collar 

 round its neck ; the chin, cheeks, and throat are bluish- 

 white, and the under part of the body quite white. 

 The two middle feathers of the tail are light blue 

 deepening into purple, and the other feathers light 

 blue, barred with black and tipped with white. This 

 bird is about eleven inches in length. Like the Euro- 

 pean Jay, it is inquisitive and suspicious, and always 

 gives an alarm note as soon as it sees a sportsman 

 amongst the trees. It is very much disliked by the 

 negroes, who regard the bird with a strange mixture 

 of superstitious fear and hatred, considering him an 

 agent of the devil, and killing him whenever they can. 



