BIRDS OF PEASEMARSH 



for us. Besides their work we had the pleasure 

 of their visits at the window, and a delightful 

 break it made in the dreary winter days. 



Later in the season a Blue Jay came. The 

 other birds always flitted away when he flew 

 into the hedge or drew near the suet. Doubt- 

 less with good reason they had no love for him. 

 But his feathers were beautiful. On a grey day 

 he was a soft grey blue, and when the sun shone 

 upon the snow he was the beautiful color of the 

 sky, with flecks of white like the fleecy clouds. 

 When perched upon a limb with the sky for a 

 background he was so like it that one looked 

 twice to see him. Even the dark bar about his 

 neck was like the branches of the trees against 

 the sky. 



In spite of his beautiful feathers he has not 

 a prepossessing face, and one can easily believe 

 all the stories of his sins. His powerful beak 

 and the big pieces of frozen suet he can break 

 off, all go to show what tragedy he might bring 

 to the nests of our most desirable birds. He 

 devours some insects, but does he do enough 

 good to offset his sins? Still, he is a cheery 

 winter visitor, and perhaps it is too soon to 

 condemn him. 



[109] 



