APRIL SHOWERS 



ever comes to it is when, in a crowd of 

 good fellows, he gives you an imitation of 

 some other bird, for the blue jay is a good 

 deal of a mimic. But it is always a bur- 

 lesque, and it rarely gets beyond the first 

 few notes before a jeering chorus from his 

 companions cuts it off, nor do you ever 

 know whether they are jeering at him or 

 the bird he is burlesquing. I fancy it does 

 not matter to them as long as they have 

 a chance to jeer. 



The crows are rather silent now, though 

 occasionally there is a dreadful towrow 

 over a love affair which does not run 

 smooth. Crows are such canny Scotch- 

 men of the woods that you would hardly 

 expect them to throw caution to the winds 

 and have a riot and a duel with much loud 

 talk over a love affair, but it does happen. 

 Among the pines a day or two ago I heard 



a great screaming and scolding, cries of 

 169 



