132 Land Birds of New England 



preferably in a pine or cedar, and usually far up in 

 the tree. Eggs are laid early in May. 

 The only note is the familiar caw. 



LITERATURE : 



Little Brothers of the Air. OLIVE THORNE MILLER. 



74. BLUE JAY (Cyanocitta cristata.) 



Upper parts gray-blue ; wings and tail bright blue with black bars 

 and with conspicuous white markings ; under parts gray ; fore- 

 breast crossed by a black crescent which is continued up as a 

 narrow black band over the crown. Crest present. " His saucy 

 crest seems to be held in place by a band of black velvet ribbon 

 passing under his chin." Beak and feet strong, black. Bird 

 distinctly larger than a robin. Sexes substantially alike, but 

 color of female rather less intense. 



THE jay may be found in any part of the woods, 

 or, indeed, in open land in the neighborhood of 

 trees. He is conspicuous among birds for his habit 

 of walking instead of hopping over the ground. 

 Some jays spend the entire year with us, but the 

 greater number go south for the winter. 



The nest is usually placed in an evergreen, at a 

 moderate height, and often near the trunk. Eggs 

 are laid in the later part of May. 



He [the blue jay] is to be despised as a murderer, a 

 thief, a rioter, and a disturber of the general peace. 

 In the slaughter of babes . . . he out-Herods Herod. 

 He sneaks into the nests of smaller birds, sucking their 



