OF NEW ENGLJBJD. 271 



"I have often been delighted by the sight of their grace- 

 ful movements on al : ghting after removing from one tree to 

 another, or while flying across a road or a piece of water. 

 They have an odd way of nodding their head, and jerking their 

 body and tail, while they emit their curiously diversified notes, 

 which at times resemble a low sort of mewing, at others the 

 sound given out by an anvil lightly struck with a hammer. 

 They frequently alight about the middle of a tree, and hop 

 with airy grace from one branch to another until they reach 

 the very top. when they remove to another tree, and thus pro- 

 ceed through the woods. Their flight resembles that of the 

 Blue Jay, although I do not consider it quite so firm or pro- 

 tracted. 



" Tire Canada Jay breeds in Maine, in New Brunswick, 

 Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Labrador. It begins so early 

 as February or March to form its nest, which is placed in 

 the thickest part of a fir tree, near the trunk, and at a height 

 of from five to ten feet. The exterior is composed of dry 

 twigs, with moss and grass, and the interior, which is flat, is 

 formed of fibrous roots. The eggs, which are from four to six, 

 are of a light grey color, faintly marked with brown. Only 

 one brood is raised in the season. I found the young follow- 

 ing their parents on the 27th of June, 1833, at Labrador, where 

 I shot both old and young, while the former was in the act of 

 feeding the latter." 



The remainder of Audubon's biography is chiefly quotations 

 from other authors, or descriptions of the birds. The follow- 

 ing paragraph is, however, of interest. Still referring to the 

 Canadian Jay, Audubon says : 



" Its range is very extensive, as I have specimens procured 

 by Mr. TOWNSEND on the Columbia River, and it has been ob- 

 served by Dr. RICHARDSON as far northward as lat G5. The 

 former of these naturalists states that he found 'these birds at 

 the site of old Fort Astoria, on the Columbia river. They wero 

 very noisy and active ; the voice is strong and harsh. The 

 Indians however say that thay are rarely seen, and that they 

 do not breed hereabouts/ Mr. TITIAN PEALE has obtained it 



