10 



TRAVELS ABOUT HOME 



the presence of that frowzy, stuffed Jay was wholly satisfac- 

 tory and reassuring to the bird at the nest. 



If these birds received one of their own kind so gracious- 

 ly, how would they treat a Screech Owl, a bird which, as far 

 as human mind can discern, is the common enemy of all 

 Jays? The dummy Jay was therefore removed, and a 

 mounted Screech Owl was securely fastened about two feet 

 from the nest. The Jays were not visible, but that they 

 were watching my movements from the neighboring wood, 



was shown by the tense 

 note of alarm they uttered 

 almost as soon as the Owl 

 was posed a high, shrill 

 call, differing from any I 

 had previously heard. 



The moment I entered 

 my bower, a Jay came to 

 the nest-tree, screaming 

 in alarm at the uncon- 

 scious, yellow-eyed bunch 

 of feathers so dangerous- 

 ly near its offspring. Soon 

 it was joined by its mate, 

 and with uncontrolled 

 fear and excitement they 

 flew from limb to limb, 

 but, much to my surprise, 

 made no attempt to attack 

 or even threaten the Owl 

 and, after a minute or two of wild flitting and calling, they 

 returned to the woods. Surely this was enough to destroy 

 one's confidence in our supposed knowledge of the Jay's 

 character ; but the birds soon further illustrated the danger 

 of theorizing. 



While the supposition credits them with a power of rea- 

 soning I am not prepared to say they possessed, their sub- 



From near-by limbs the 

 notes of defiance " 



