194 



RAMBLES ABOUT HOME. 



giving an affirmative answer ; and yet some of their an- 

 tics have impressed me with the idea that such might be 

 the case. One glorious day in January, three years ago, 

 I heard a company of these birds screaming and chatter- 

 ing as usual among the beeches. Although so jay-like in 

 general, still there was a peculiarity in the multitudinous 

 sounds that made me think that something had gone 

 wrong among them. An owl perhaps had caught one of 

 them. I straightway sought a convenient spot from 

 which I might see what was going on, and I soon saw 

 that something unusual had occurred. My first view of 

 them showed some dozen or fifteen birds settled near 

 each other on convenient branches, while two others oc- 

 cupied a broad, and nearly horizontal, branch. These 

 latter were not sitting quietly by any means. "When 

 first seen they were standing together, but immediately 

 separated and ran from each other as far as the branch 

 would allow ; then, turning, they half opened their wings 

 and spread their tail-feathers much as a turkey does, and, 

 in this manner, with head well up and crest erected, they 

 hopped in measured leaps toward each other, giving a 

 loud chirp at each forward movement. When they met 

 the spectators joined in a shrill clamor of discordant cries, 

 which continued until the two dancing jays had sepa- 

 rated. These two birds simply met and parted. There 

 was no further demonstration. These curious antics 

 were repeated several times ; . and then suddenly, with- 

 out any apparent reason, the whole company took 

 flight. 



I have witnessed such an occurrence but the once, 

 though I never fail to think of it and look for its repetition 

 when the jays are in the beeches. Had it occurred two 

 months later, I should have though it an exhibition by 

 two males who were trying to attract the notice of cer- 



