324 



PERCHERS AND SINGERS 



marauder, it is only his audacity which saves him from exter- 

 mination. Externally, he is really a beautiful bird, but his 

 voice is strident and unmusical. 



Beside his harsh "Jay," a crow is a sweet songster. He 

 will take your cherries right before your eyes, and then scold 



II 



** 



BLUE-JAY. 



you roundly for not looking pleasant about it! He robs the 

 nests of other birds, eating eggs or young, whichever may be 

 there; and to that extent he is a pest. During the closed 

 season on eggs and young nestlings, he lives on insects — until 

 berries and small fruits ripen. If Jays were as numerous as 

 English sparrows, it would be necessary to reduce their num- 

 ber; but they are not so numerous or so destructive that we 

 need to attack them. 



Steller's Jay 1 is one of the handsomest birds of the 

 moist and dark forest region of the Pacific coast, which ex- 



1 Cy-an-o-cit'ta stel'ler-i. Length, 12.50 inches. 



