BIRDS OF KANSAS. 379 



indifference; and, as soon as opportunity offers, he quietly slips 

 from his slandering company. Advantage, in some countries, 

 is taken of this dislike for the purpose of catching birds; thus 

 the Owl being let out of a box, sometimes makes a hoot, which 

 instantly assembles a motley group, who are then caught by 

 liming the neighboring twigs on which they perch. In this 

 gossip the Jay and Crow are always sure to take a part, if with- 

 in sight or hearing of the call, and are thus caught or destroyed 

 at will. The common Jay is even fond of imitating the harsh 

 voice of the Owl and the noisy Kestril. I have also heard the 

 Blue Jay mock, with a taunting accent, the "Ke-oo, ke-oo," or 

 quailing of the JRed-shouldered Hawk. Wilson likewise heard 

 him take singular satisfaction in teasing and mocking the little 

 American Sparrow Hawk, and imposing upon him by the pre- 

 tended plaints of a wounded bird, in which frolic several would 

 appear to join, until their sport sometimes ended in sudden con- 

 sternation, by the Hawk, justly enough, pouncing on one of 

 them as his legitimate and devoted prey. 



"His talent for mimicry, when domesticated, is likewise so far 

 capable of improvement as to enable him to imitate human 

 speech, articulating words with some distinctness; and on hear- 

 ing voices, like a parrot, he would endeavor to contribute his 

 important share to the tumult. Bewick remarks of the common 

 Jay, that he heard one so exactly counterfeit the action of a saw, 

 that though on a Sunday, he could scarcely be persuaded but 

 that some carpenter was at work. Another, unfortunately, ren- 

 dered himself a serious nuisance by learning to hound a cur dog 

 upon the domestic cattle, whistling and calling him by name, so 

 that at length a serious accident occurring in consequence, the 

 poor Jay was proscribed. The Blue Jay becomes also, like the 

 Crow and Magpie, a very mischievous purloiner of everything 

 he is capable of conveying away and hiding. 



"The favorite food of this species is chestnuts, acorns, and 

 Indian corn or maize, the latter of which he breaks before swal- 

 lowing. He also feeds occasionally on the larger insects and 

 caterpillars, as well as orchard fruits, particularly cherries, and 

 does not even refuse the humble fare of potatoes. In times of 



