—_ Oe ee 
296 | THE JAY. 
that decay has entered deeply into the tree itself, 
without any aid from rain water. The surrounding 
live wood, which kept swelling gradually while the 
dead branch remained on the tree, now that the 
obstruction is removed, begins to advance over the 
newly exposed and distempered part. In the 
mean time, the birds find no difficulty in excavating 
this part, and there forming a place for incubation, 
or for a nocturnal residence. Mice and rats will 
also find their way into these diseased parts of 
trees. I know of a crab tree in which a mouse 
lives. Its hole is about 5 feet from the ground. 
I have written this paper, first, to show the true 
habits of the titmouse and the woodpecker relative 
to their choice of a place for their incubation ; and, 
secondly, to catch the eye of the proprietor of the 
American Quarterly Review, who, I am informed, 
has thought fit to heap anonymous abuse upen me, 
with an unsparing hand. Let this sage discerner 
of ornithological merit turn to pages 200. and 343. 
of the Biography of Birds, and then blush for 
American ignorance. 
NOTES ON THE HABITS OF THE JAY. 
Our peas and ripe cherries have attractions which 
this well-known bird cannot resist. To these it 
unfortunately resorts, and loses its life by the gun 
of the watchful gardener, who never fails to magnify 
