270 



HE HUNTS METHODICALLY. 



It is no unusual sight, in the summer time, to see 

 a Jay quietly slip from tree to tree in a woods and 

 starting from the lower limbs of each tree he performs 

 a cork-screw-like inspection tour around the trunk 

 and along the limbs until he has inspected the whole 

 tree, when he flits to another leafy retreat to look 

 fcr eggs or young birds, or perhaps some observers 

 may say, on such occasions, he is only looking for 

 beetles, caterpillars, "bugs," wasps or flies. Of course, 

 Mr. Jay would doubtless, when on these foraging ex- 

 cursio-ns, pick up such forms of insect-life which would 

 please his palate, but my belief is that at these times 

 he is bent on mischief and wants eggs or nestlings, 

 and this same belief, it seems, is shared by Tanagers, 

 Orioles, Flycatchers, Warblers and others of the 

 beneficial feathered kind which build their fragile 

 summer domiciles in trees, for as soon as a meddle- 

 some Jay comes around, the other birds show great 

 agitation and promptly proceed to give him battle. 



WHY DO THEY DO THIS? 



Possibly some observers believe insect-devouring 

 forest birds such as the Scarlet Tanager, Red-eyed 

 Vireo, the ni.merous kinds of Warblers and other 

 sweet-voiced songsters, which make war on the Jay 

 that comes about their homes, do so because they are 

 prompted by jealousy, and fear the unwelcome visitor, 

 attired in his showy coat of blue, with whitish w^aist- 

 coat, black cravat, and high, peaked hat, will catch 

 too many palatable insects around their dwelling 

 places. From careful field observations of fully 

 twenty years, I am strongly of the opinion that these 

 gaudily dressed, and saucy, inquisitive Jays make 



