{ UNIVERSITY } 



V OF / 



THE CALIFORNIA JAY. 69 



tone. The fact is, he can be both harsh and ten- 

 der, as the mood strikes him. He may shriek 

 like a hawk, or whine like a little hurt bird. He 

 loves to mimic all the other birds in distress, and 

 often sets up quite a panic among them. 



On account of his voice, the blue jay is not 

 liked by the hunters. The moment the hunter 

 comes in sight, blue jay gives the alarm. It is of 

 no use for the hunter to think he can slip along 

 through the trees and not be heard or seen. Jay 

 has a sharp eye and ear. He is the policeman, 

 and the fire-bell, and the signal-whistle, and the 

 alarm clock, and the " call to arms." A lone man 

 with a gun is creeping through the brush. Jay 

 gives a cry of "Look out there! Danger ahead 

 and all around!" Instantly the towhees, and 

 road-runners, and quail slip under the bushes and 

 lie as still as mice; while the finches, and wrens, 

 and warblers seek the cover of thick-topped trees. 



No one in sight but the blue jay, who sits on 

 his tree and looks innocently at the hunter! Of 

 course, the hunter takes a good aim at the telltale, 

 but he does n't hit him once in a dozen times. 

 Blue jay knows the muzzle of a gun from the butt 

 of it, and which way the two point; and he is up 

 and off before the hunter can pull the trigger. 

 Back goes the disappointed hunter to camp, with 



