CANADA JAY. 139 



em parts of Vermont, where, according to Audubon, they are 

 frequently known to breed. They also descend into the State 

 of New York as far as the town of Hudson and the banks of 

 the Mohawk. In the month of May I observed a wandering 

 brood of these birds, old and young, on the shady borders 

 of the Wahlamet, in the Oregon territory, where they had 

 probably been bred. They descended to the ground near a 

 spring in quest of insects and small shells. 



According to Mr. Hutchins, like the Pie, when near the 

 habitations and tents of the inhabitants and natives, it is given 

 to pilfering everything within reach, and is sometimes so bold 

 as to venture into the tents and snatch the meat from the 

 dishes even, whether fresh or salt. It has also the mischievous 

 sagacity of watching the hunters set their traps for the Martin, 

 from which it purloins the bait. Its appetite, like that of the 

 Crow, appears omnivorous. It feeds on worms, various insects, 

 and their larvae, and on flesh of different kinds ; lays up stores 

 of berries in hollow trees for winter ; and at times, with the 

 reindeer, is driven to the necessity of feeding on lichens. 

 The severe winters of the wilds it inhabits, urges it to seek 

 support in the vicinity of habitations. Like the common Jay, 

 at this season it leaves the woods to make excursions after 

 food, trying every means for subsistence ; and tamed by hun- 

 ger, it seeks boldly the society of men and animals. These 

 birds are such praters as to be considered Mocking Birds, and 

 are superstitiously dreaded by the aborigines. They com- 

 monly fly in pairs or rove in small families, are no way difiicult 

 ' to approach, and keep up a kind of friendly chattering, some- 

 times repeating their notes for a quarter of an hour at a time, 

 immediately before snow or falling weather. When caught, 

 they seldom long survive, though they never neglect their food. 

 Like most of their genus, they breed early in the spring, build- 

 ing their nests, which are formed of twigs and grass in the pine- 

 trees. They lay 4 to 6 light-grayish eggs, faintly marked with 

 brown spots. The young brood, at first, are perfect Crows, or 

 nearly quite black, and continue so for some time. 



According to Richardson, this inelegant but familiar bird 



