BLUE JAY. 193 



read of, in their first interviews with the whites,) she began to 

 make her approaches, but with great circumspection, and readi- 

 ness for retreat. Seeing, however, the Jay begin to pick up 

 some crumbs of broken chesnuts, in a humble and peaceable 

 way, she also descended, and began to do the same; but at the 

 slightest motion of her new guest, wheeled round and put her- 

 self on the defensive. All this ceremonious jealousy vanished 

 before evening, and they now roost together, feed, and play to- 

 gether, in perfect harmony and good humour. When the Jay 

 goes to drink, his messmate very impudently jumps into the 

 water to wash herself, throwing the water in showers over her 

 companion, who bears it all patiently; venturing now and then 

 to take a sip between every splash, without betraying the small- 

 est token of irritation. On the contrary, he seems to take plea- 

 sure in his little fellow-prisoner, allowing her to pick (which 

 she does very gently) about his whiskers, and to clean his claws 

 from the minute fragments of chesnuts which happen to adhere 

 to them. This attachment on the one part, and mild condescen- 

 sion on the other, may, perhaps, be partly the effect of mutual 

 misfortunes, which are found not only to knit mankind, but 

 many species of inferior animals, more closely together; and 

 shows that the disposition of the Blue Jay may be humanized, 

 and rendered susceptible of affectionate impressions, even for 

 those birds, which, in a state of nature, he would have no hesi- 

 tation in making a meal of. 



He is not only bold and vociferous, but possesses a considera- 

 ble talent for mimicry, and seems to enjoy great satisfaction in 

 mocking and teasing other birds, particularly the little hawk, 

 (F. sparverius,) imitating his cry wherever he sees him, and 

 squealing out as if caught; this soon brings a number of his own 

 tribe around him, who all join in the frolic, darting about the 

 hawk, and feigning the cries of a bird sorely wounded, and al- 

 ready under the clutches of its devourer; while others lie con- 

 cealed in bushes, ready to second their associates in the attack. 

 But this ludicrous farce often terminates tragically. The hawk 



singling out one of the most insolent and provoking, sweeps 

 VOL. i. 3 D 





