FRIENDS IN FEATHERS 



managed with my usual caution toward the last, when she proved 

 so hold, Mother Jay sat, her beak pointed skyward and without 

 giving any evidence of fear or indication of flight. Then, be- 

 cause in field work I never feel sure of my subject from one day 

 to the following, I reproduced the nest with its five beautiful 

 eggs before leaving. 



When I went back early, a nestling had arrived ahead of me, 

 which explained why its mother brooded so constantly the 

 previous day. For several days I called on them securing some 

 interesting study at each visit. Once while waiting with a set 

 camera and long hose in the hope of picturing Father Jay feeding 

 his mate or nestlings, a bareheaded, yellow-mouthed baby thrust 

 its head from under its mother's breast, and using the hard 

 rough edge of the nest for a pillow, went fast asleep. I gave the 

 bulb one frantic grip, then hastened up the ladder to turn the 

 plate-holder. I barely had it inserted when a wonderful thing 

 happened. The baby lifted its head and opened wide its yellow 

 mouth against the breast of its mother. For an instant my 

 fingers flew so fast I was scarcely sure I had caught it. The 

 shutter proved I had, so in my delight I called to my assistant: 

 "Look here! Quick!" 



"Take it!" he shouted. "Take it!" 



"Well, do you suppose I stopped to call you to look before I 

 did?" I questioned reproachfully. "I never have seen a picture 

 like that made with a camera or drawn by an artist. I truly 

 believe I have something perfectly new." 



" Smart Alec ! Smart Alec ! Smart Alec ! " cried Father Jay, 

 as he came winging into the elm with a worm in his beak, which 

 seemed in no way to impede his utterance. 



So to prove him a truthful bird I thrust another holder into 

 the camera and photographed him as lie fed one of his nestlings 

 a worm while at the same time Mother Jay emptied a cloaca. 



