99 



on stretched and quivering wing, then up again and poising, until lie 

 was nearly out of sight. The climax was a straight, swift dive, with 

 wings closed, toward the earth. He did not open his wings until he 

 was within a few feet of the ground, when he settled lightly down 

 and went quietly to feeding as if nothing had happened. Four young 

 were seen just ready to leave the nest May 10, 1903. G. G. Williamson 

 obtained an adult female and a young male May 29, 188(3. 

 96. [477] Ci/nnocittu cwfafr/ ( Linn. ). Blue Jay.* Fig. 16. 



Abundant resident; sometimes less numerous in winter. 



Jays were nearly all mated March 8, 1903, and a pair was observed 

 mating February 1(>. 1901. This pair began a nest but abandoned it 

 when about one-fourth completed, February 22. N. B. Myers observed 

 them nestbuilding March 3, 1899. More usual dates are: Nestbuilding, 

 March 17, '03; March 22, '02, a half-completed nest was found: nest 

 completed March 20, 1902, and 1903; three pairs nestbuilding April 1, 

 '01; nests with three eggs were found April 15 and 17, 1903 (W. L. M.). 

 The former was between two rafters in a corncrib and was built partly 

 of mud (C. G. L.). A Blue Jay was seen sitting on unhatched eggs May 

 16, 1903. 



"As spring approaches they become very vocal, uttering many calls, 

 some very pretty notes, varying from loud to low. Evidently some 

 of the latter are intended solely for one female to hear. * * * With 

 us the season of song begins early in March * * * as early as March 

 8. * * * With it comes pairing time, which I have known them to 

 continue until April 25" (A. AY. Butler). As is above stated the Blue 

 Jay has a great number of calls, many of which are principally used 

 during the mating season. But the writer has never heard a Jay give 

 a call during that season that has not been heard during every other 

 month from September to June at some time during the past four years. 

 Careful observations and a separate series of notes have been made with 

 the above conclusion as a result. 



On April 2,8 and 29. 1!)!U. at a time of very abundant nocturnal 

 migration, many Jays were seen migrating by day. They Hew steadily 

 and unite high (about 200 ft.), in a northeast direction. The flight 

 of the 29th was exactly similar to that of the 28th: no Jays were 

 even 200 yards from the path. Whether the flight kept up all night 

 is a question. Following are a few groups observed on each day and the 

 approximate time elapsing between their passage of a given point: April 



