FIVE DAYS ON MOUNT MRNSFIVLD." 101 



ward him, making as much commotion as 

 possible in pushing through the undergrowth. 

 It was a clever scheme, but the bird was not 

 to be surprised into uttering so much as an 

 exclamation. He dropped out of his tree, 

 flew a little distance to a lower and less con- 

 spicuous perch, and there I finally left him. 

 Once before, on Mount Clinton, I had seen 

 him, and had been treated with the same 

 studied silence. And later, I fell in with 

 a little family party on the side of Mount 

 Washington, and they, too, refused me so 

 much as a note. Probably I was too near 

 the birds in every case, though in the third 

 instance there was no attempt at skulking, 

 nor any symptom of nervousness. I have 

 often been impressed and amused by the 

 blue jay's habit in this respect. No bird 

 could well be noisier than he when the noisy 

 mood takes him; but come upon him sud- 

 denly at close quarters, and he will be as 

 still as the grave itself. He has a double 

 gift, of eloquence and silence, silver and 

 gold and no doubt his Canadian cousin is 

 equally well endowed. 



The reader may complain, perhaps, that 

 I speak only of trifles. Why go to a moun- 



