The Blue Jay 25 



the country and then tramped through it for several miles. 

 The snow gleamed in the bright sunshine and not a track of 

 animal or bird was to be seen. All the world seemed to be 

 silent. Indeed, its stillness was oppressive. After awhile I 

 came to a great elm standing alone by the roadside, and, 

 perched on its topmost limb, was a saucy blue jay making him- 

 self known to me by his shrill "jay, jay" and I admired the 

 jaunty bird and his courage. 



The blue jays commence nesting as early as the middle 

 of March. In one of my tramps on an Easter Sunday, I found 

 a nest quite completed in a cedar tree in a farmer's front 

 yard. Their nests usually are built five to twenty-five feet 

 from the ground in a vine, bush or tree ; are not very elaborate, 

 are built of twigs, bark, rootlets and the like and lined with 

 finer material. The eggs are of a greenish or yellowish drab, 

 thickly spotted with greenish brown and dull black ; three to 

 six constitute a clutch. Both birds take part in the incubation 

 and feeding of their young, and in their domestic relations and 

 habits are models of propriety and devotion. The young 

 leave their nest when they are about sixteen days old. 



A communication from Richmond, Indiana, says: "A 

 most remarkable instance of unnatural mating of birds has 

 been brought to light here by the pupils of the Richmond 

 High School, who are students of ornithology. On one of the 

 sparcely populated streets in the southern part of the city there 

 stands a large maple tree in which a robin and blue jay have 

 built a nest. The blue jay is regarded as an enemy to the 

 robin. In this case, the blue jay is as devoted to the robin 

 as it is possible to be. When Mrs. Robin leaves her nest 

 and eggs to go in search of food, the jay takes her place until 

 she returns." At first blush this might seem incredible, but 

 I find that Darwin says, "It is certain that distinct species 

 of birds occasionally pair in a state of nature and produce hy- 

 brids. Many instances could be given. Macgillvary relates 

 how a male blackbird and female thrush 'fell in love with 

 each other and produced offspring.' Several years ago eigh- 

 teen cases had been recorded in Great Britain of hybrids be- 

 tween the black grouse and pheasant; but most of these cases 



